OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. \u2013 Oakland County will roll out new initiatives and expand key programs to help residents in need under a $1.25 billion budget approved by county commissioners Thursday night.<\/p>\n
The spending plan for the coming fiscal year, up from $1.17 billion last year.<\/p>\n
At Oakland Connects, a county program that links residents to medical, housing and social support, staff are already busy helping people stay afloat.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey stopped me from becoming homeless,\u201d said Kawana Fulcher, who received help from Oakland Connects this week. Speaking over Zoom from inside the organization\u2019s office, she said the assistance was life-changing.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it wasn\u2019t for them, I\u2019d probably be on the street,\u201d Fulcher said. \u201cSo I give my all to Oakland Connects.\u201d<\/p>\n
Under the newly approved budget, Oakland Connects will add two more community health workers. County leaders say those positions will allow the program to reach significantly more residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are struggling and sometimes they don\u2019t know how to navigate stabilizing themselves and being able to keep a living where they\u2019re living if they fall behind,\u201d said Khadijah Walker-Fobbs, Oakland County\u2019s officer of Neighborhood and Housing Development. \u201cBeing able to make the investment in the legal aid supportive services and have somebody navigate through that was also us just listening and responding to what we were hearing in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to expanding Oakland Connects, the budget helps in several other areas like:<\/p>\n
A pilot program to increase funding for defense attorneys representing indigent defendants in circuit court.<\/p>\n
A new sheriff\u2019s deputy position as well as funding for education and programming to support the Oakland County Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force.<\/p>\n
Funding for initiatives to address housing insecurity, including for legal assistance as well as emergency shelter and rental assistance.<\/p>\n
Creates two new public health positions focused on lead paint testing and abatement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re really amping up our initiatives to get more children tested, to get out into all of the pediatric offices and talk to the doctors about testing all children,\u201d Health Officer Kate Guzman said.<\/p>\n
This budget also supports efforts to get and keep a strong workforce, which includes a pay increase for employees. <\/p>\n