Flinn Foundation Trustees Tour Wayne County Juvenile Detention Facility

On August 4, 2025, Trustees from the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation gathered for a powerful learning experience: a tour of the Wayne County Juvenile Detention Facility, followed by conversations with leaders advancing innovative youth justice solutions.

The visit, part of the Foundation’s annual retreat, offered a firsthand look at the realities faced by young people in the system, as well as the opportunities to create meaningful change. 

Guest speakers included Nanci Hambrick, Matt Larson, Stacey Campbell, and Zarria Broner from The Center for Behavioral Health and Justice at Wayne State University School of Social Work, along with Melissa Fernandez, Director of Juvenile Youth Services for Wayne County.

Spotlight on Wayne BEYOND

At the center of the discussion was Wayne BEYOND, a three-year collaborative initiative launched in April 2025. 

The Center for Behavioral Health and Justice leads the effort in partnership with county and court leaders, with a focus on improving coordination, building shared data infrastructure and guiding reforms with evidence-based insights. 

The Flinn Foundation is among the funders supporting this initiative, alongside other community partners.

Since its launch, Wayne BEYOND has expanded significantly. Current work includes mapping schools that are most heavily contributing to the criminal legal system, evaluating key programs such as Moving Forward, Credible Messenger and Choices, and building grassroots capacity to support community-based organizations. 

The initiative is also leading Michigan’s first comprehensive court-county data integration — creating a sustainable model for sharing and using information across systems.

Wayne BEYOND is further strengthened through its partnership with the Michigan Center for Youth Justice (MCYJ), which brings a community engagement focus to complement system-level data analysis. Together, the two organizations are ensuring that reforms are grounded both in rigorous research and in the voices of families and communities most affected.

For Andrea Cole, President and CEO of the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation, the tour underscored the importance of investing in this kind of work.

“Having the opportunity to tour the Wayne County Juvenile Detention Facility gave us an inside look at the complex challenges many young people are facing, especially around their mental health and well-being,” says Cole. “Learning about Wayne BEYOND also showed how data and collaboration can spark solutions that support not only safer outcomes, but healthier futures for youth and families. Together, these experiences reinforced the importance of investing in approaches that address mental health as a vital part of justice reform.”

As Wayne BEYOND continues, Wayne County is poised to serve as a national model for youth justice reform — one that combines research, collaboration and community voice to build a more equitable future for young people.

Learn more about the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation.