Working Together to Help Justice-Involved Individuals

In partnership with the Michigan Department of Corrections, Michigan Works! West Central held the first-ever Reentry United conference in November 2023. Nearly 250 people from across Michigan attended the event.

The inaugural conference was so well received, the partnering organizations agreed to make it an annual event. The goal of the conference held at the E. V. Eberhard Center in downtown Grand Rapids is to highlight successful partnerships, programs and services that can benefit returning citizens.

The annual conference features breakout sessions and panel discussions on topics such as services for justice-involved individuals, successful collaboration with MDOC and returning citizens, mentoring programs, reentry grants, trauma, the future of reentry, success stories and more! Pictures from the 2025 event can be found above.

Now in its fourth year, the conference has garnered attention from other states' corrections departments. More than a dozen other states have traveled to Michigan to learn best practices from programs and services available here to implement in their states, including California, Minnesota, Maine and more! Michigan's recidivism rate dropped from about 50 percent in 2010, to 21 percent in 2025, which is attributable to the many programs and services offered to Michigan's returning citizens. The national recidivism average is 43 percent.

The work of the team behind Reentry United does not end after the conference. Organizers also coordinate to host "inside" Reentry United events at a correctional facilities across Michigan.

To keep up to date on the lineup of Reentry United events, annual conferences and other information affecting justice-involved individuals, sign up for the quarterly Reentry United eNewsletter. Receive the latest information about all things Reentry United by clicking here.

Checkout pictures from the inaugural Reentry United event below!