Past Programs

Oakland County Task Force on COVID-19 Impact on Seniors’ Social Isolation, Loneliness and Health  

Established in 2020 and led by Commissioners Kristen Nelson (chair) and Penny Luebs (vice chair), the task force was comprised of commissioner members, Oakland County leaders in health and human services, IT and homeland security, state legislators and multiple community and nonprofit stakeholders.

Task force goals included developing recommendations to improve conditions for Oakland County’s older residents by:

• Increasing public awareness regarding social isolation and loneliness and its effect on health and well-being.
• Enhancing social services and support to address social isolation and loneliness.
• Advancing health services and support that address social isolation and loneliness.
• Leveraging innovative solutions that foster connection and social integration.
• Advancing research to continue to develop the evidence base necessary to design effective programs and policies.

Outcomes and achievements include:

• Oakland Together Lifeline Pilot Program which aimed to reduce the impact of social isolation by expanding technology in select senior living facilities. 
• Senior center grants that addressed wellness services to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health of seniors; programming adjustment innovations; personal protection equipment needed to safely re-open and operate.

Healthy Aging Ad Hoc Committee

Established in 2021 and led during the 2023-24 term by Commissioners Kristen Nelson (chair), Penny Luebs, Marcia Gershenson, Karen Joliat and Bob Hoffman, the ad hoc committee’s goal was to create a strategic blueprint for an aging-friendly county that meets the needs of the rapidly growing 65+ population and those who care for them.

Initiatives that received appropriations based on the Oakland County Blueprint for Successful Aging,produced in collaboration with strategic partner AgeWays (formerly Area Agency on Aging 1-B), include:

• Up to $5,000,000 for Oakland County senior centers for capital, technology, infrastructure, equipment improvements and/or professional development.
• Up to $500,000 to fund a series of educational/COVID-19 communication pieces.
• Up to $50,000 for nonprofits providing senior-centered services and leverage volunteer management practices.
• Up to $5,000 to reinstate the Oakland County Elderly Abuse Prevention Coalition, known as the S.A.V.E. Task Force – Elder Abuse Prevention.

Since December 2021, the Oakland County Invasive Spongy Moth Suppression Grant Program has provided matching grants to cities, villages and townships to support their efforts in mitigating the impacts of Lymantria dispar, an invasive moth species also known as spongy moth. Spongy moth, formerly known as gypsy moth, can be a destructive pest in residential, urban and rural areas as well as forests. Spongy moth caterpillars, in the immature larval stage, feed on the leaves of more than 300 species of trees, including oak, apple, birch and willow. This invasive pest, which is native to Europe, can heavily or even completely defoliate a tree.

The Oakland County Board of Commissioners renewed the Invasive Spongy Moth Suppression Grant Program in September 2022. The grant is administered in partnership with MSU Extension (MSUE) and will again provide funding to Oakland County communities to help them lessen the impacts of this invasive species.

The 2023 Application Guide provides complete details about the program.

MSUE maintains an informative website with educational resources about spongy moth and is available online here. The below resources from MSUE may also be helpful to residents and municipalities.

• New Name, Familiar Pest: Dealing with Outbreaks of Spongy Moth, Formerly Gypsy Moth - Questions and Answers
• Spongy Moth Life Cycle
• Surveying Spongy Moth Egg Masses to Forecast Next Year's Population
• USDA Forest Insect & Disease Leaflet 162: Spongy Moth
• Using Bands to Protect Shade Trees from Spongy Moth
• One Management Option for Spongy Moth: Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki HD-1 (BTK)

Homeowners who believe they have a spongy moth infestation can contact the MSU Extension office at 248-858-1639 for more information.

In 2021, the Board established the Oakland Together Mental Health and Wellbeing Non-Profit Grant Program Ad Hoc Committee to offer grants to Oakland County nonprofit organizations delivering mental/behavioral health services with the goal of increasing their capacity to meet growing demand in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ad hoc committee was chaired by Commissioner Penny Luebs and comprised of Commissioner Angela Powell and other county leaders. The program was administered by United Way for Southeast Michigan and reported the following outcomes:

• Funding to 41 local organizations
• Overall investment of $9,699,998
• Met challenges faced by youth, residents 18-64 as well as seniors
• Supported specialized professional development, program improvements and hiring challenges

Oakland County School Mental Health Grant Initiative

Led by Commissioner Penny Luebs (chair), Board Chair David T. Woodward and Commissioner Karen Joliat and comprised of additional county leaders, the Oakland County School Mental Health Grant Program Oversight Ad Hoc Committee was established in June 2022 to provide funding to Oakland County local education agencies (LEAs, or public school districts) and public school academies (PSAs, or charter schools) for efforts that address the mental health needs of students.

The optional grant-matched Oakland County School Mental Health Grant Initiative aimed to:

• Provide additional mental health professionals in schools.
• Train faculty and administrators to identify students in need of mental health intervention services.
• Develop programming to improve the social and emotional needs of students.
• Increase the capacity to do school-based mental health screenings and/or assessments.

The initiative concluded in June 2024 and reports the following outcomes:

• $8,305,000 in county funds distributed.
• 34 institution applicants.
• Categories included personnel, professional learning and training, curriculum development, student enrichment programs and therapy dogs.
• 155,951 students and staff impacted by funding.

Oakland County Out of School Time Learning Supports Investment

Chaired by Commissioner Penny Luebs and comprised with Commissioners Yolanda Smith Charles and Philip J. Weipert along with additional county leaders, the Oakland County Out of School Time Learning Supports Ad Hoc Committee was established in July 2022.

Administrated by United Way for Southeast Michigan, the program developed a competitive grant opportunity to support school districts, public school academies, and nonprofit organizations to provide out of school educational curriculum, tutoring and youth well-being support with the goal of closing gaps in learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two-year grant period concluded in December 2024 with the following outcomes:

• 29 partner organizations that included recreation and/or enrichment providers, high schools, academic-based, school-based and specific need.
• 8 metric categories were tracked, including academic performance; behavioral markers; career readiness; developmental markers; family participation; interest in special topics; long-term tracking of student success; and social emotional development.
• Actual final services to youth exceeded original estimates by 51%.
• Services reached youth in 94% of Oakland County communities.

The year 2020 marked the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guaranteed women the right to vote. In honor of this important milestone in our nation’s history, the Board of Commissioners established the Celebration of Women’s Suffrage Ad Hoc Committee.

Throughout 2020, the committee invited Oakland County residents to learn more about the history of women's suffrage through a variety of exciting programming and events. 

Programming & Events

"I Voted!" Sticker Contest - Winners Announced

Oakland County's 100th Anniversary of Women's Suffrage "I Voted!" Sticker Contest received more than 600 entries from middle and high school students from across the county!

One winner from grades 6-8 and another from grades 9-12 were selected to have their designs printed as ‘I Voted!’ stickers, which were distributed to voters at precincts throughout the Oakland County in 2020. The winners also received $1,000 courtesy of Cornerstone Community Financial Credit Union.

The contest winners were chosen by Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds Lisa Brown and Oakland Schools’ Superintendent Dr. Wanda Cook-Robinson. Judging was based on creativity, artistic skill, execution and interpretation of the theme of “The 100th Anniversary of Women's Suffrage.” 

To view the winning designs, check out the links or photo gallery below. All photos are courtesy of Derek Cookson Photography. 

1st Place Winners

6-8th Grade Category: Charlisa Penzak, Birmingham Covington School (6th grade).

9-12th Grade Category: Penelope Blanchard, Walled Lake Western High School (9th grade).

Honorable Mentions

6-8th Grade Category: Karina Morfin-Munoz, Hart Middle School (6th grade); Morgan McKimmy, Royal Oak Middle School (7th grade); Valeria Jurado, West Middle School (8th grade); Mariah Cobb, Oak Park Preparatory Academy (7th grade); Ava Tarach, Oxford Middle School (7th grade).

9-12th Grade Category: Isabella Brown, Bloomfield Hills High School (10th grade); Lily Fallarme, Lake Orion High School (11th grade); Samantha Hollatz, Clarkston Junior High School (9th grade); Meghan Banes, Holly High School (12th grade); Sami Saigh, International Academy West (10th grade).

Celebration Ceremony - June 14

On June 14th, the Celebration of Women’s Suffrage Ad Hoc Committee hosted a ceremony to kick off a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Women's Suffrage.

The event included remarks from Board Chairman David T. Woodward, Board Vice Chairwoman Marcia Gershenson, League of Women Voters representative Geri Rinschler, Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper, State Senator Ruth Johnson, State Representative Brenda Carter, County Commissioner Gwen Markham, Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown and State Representative Mari Manoogian.

As part of the kickoff event, the committee displayed the 19th Amendment Victory Flag, which hung on the West Wing Extension of the Oakland County Courthouse Building from June 14-21.

Other resources:

• News Release

Constitution Day Curriculum - September 17

The Celebration of Women's Suffrage Ad Hoc Committee partnered with Oakland Schools to help educators lead exciting and educational programming for Constitution Day on September 17th in honor of the 100th anniversary of Women's Suffrage. Experts from Oakland Schools have compiled a number of high-quality lesson plans, which were created by trusted and reliable public and private organizations, that focus on Women's Suffrage and the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women the right to vote.

With origins dating back to 1940, Constitution Day commemorates the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787. In 2004, Congress passed a law requiring federally funded educational institutions to teach students about the Constitution every year on or around September 17th. The U.S. Department of Education does not mandate or prescribe particular curricula or lesson plans.

Other resources:

• Recommended Lesson Plans
• News Release

Patriot Week Event - September 28

The Celebration of Women's Suffrage Ad Hoc Committee and the Patriot Week Foundation hosted an event on Saturday, September 28th at Hoffman Farms Winery. This family-friendly event featured games, hayrides, food and more!

Patriot Week was co-founded by Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Michael Warren and his then 10 year old daughter Leah Warren in 2009. Patriot Week begins on September 11th, honoring the nearly 3,000 Americans who lost their lives in 2001, and ends on September 17th, Constitution Day. Its mission is to renew the American spirit by focusing on education to revive appreciation and understanding of American history.

Other resources:

• Event Flyer
• News Release

Iron Jawed Angels Film Screening - October 14

The Celebration of Women's Suffrage Ad Hoc Committee, in partnership with the League of Women Voters Oakland Area, hosted a free screening of the film Iron Jawed Angels at Emagine Royal Oak Theatre. The event was so popular that it sold out.

Iron Jawed Angels (2004) is a film about the American women's suffrage movement during the 1910s. The film follows political activists Alice Paul (Hilary Swank) and Lucy Burns (Frances O'Connor) as they use peaceful and effective strategies to revolutionize the American feminist movement.

Other resources:

• Event Flyer
• News Release

Special Speaking Series w/Michelle Duster - February 10 & 11, 2020

The Board of Commissioners partnered with Oakland University and Oakland Community College to host a speaking series on African American Women and the Women's Suffrage Movement by award-winning author, speaker and educator Michelle Duster. Ms. Duster is the great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells, who was a prominent African American journalist, abolitionist and feminist during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Other resources:

• OU Event Flyer
• OCC Event Flyer
• News Release

Thursdays at the Museum Presents: "Suffragette Tour" - June 11 & 18, 2020

The Board of Commissioners partnered with the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) to host virtual art tours highlighting the women's suffrage movement.

Other resources:

• News Release

The Oakland County Better with Breakfast program, a groundbreaking public/non-profit collaboration between the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, Oakland Schools and United Way for Southeastern Michigan, began with the goal of expanding access to breakfast for students in eligible schools across Oakland County. It was the largest county-wide effort to expand breakfast in Michigan.

Oakland County Better with Breakfast Press Conference

On March 7, 2019, the Board held a press conference announcing the launch of the Oakland County Better with Breakfast program at Southfield Regional Academic Campus (SRAC) in Southfield where the program has already been successfully implemented.

Speakers included Board Chairman David T. Woodward, Commissioner Janet Jackson, President & CEO of United Way for Southeastern Michigan Dr. Darienne Driver, Superintendent of Oakland Schools Dr. Wanda Cook-Robinson and SRAC Principal Dwayne Eason.

Full video of the press conference is available here.

Quick facts:

• More than 200,000 Michigan children are not having their nutritional needs met
• 7,329 students in Oakland County may struggle with hunger
• 43% of Oakland County students getting a free or reduced-price lunch are also eating breakfast
• The Oakland County Better with Breakfast program goal is to boost the 43% above to 70% or more

More resources:

• Better with Breakfast Video
• Better with Breakfast Fact Sheet
• United Way for Southeastern Michigan - Get Help
• Oakland County Tier Structure & Targeting Lists
• Quarterly Report (October 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019)

In 2018, the Board and the Oakland County Health Division partnered with the Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps) to provide Oakland County residents with free training and equipment to monitor water quality in local lakes via the Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CLMP). The CLMP has been an integral component of Michigan's inland lake monitoring for over 40 years.

More than 75 Oakland County lakes participated in lake monitoring as part of the pilot program. Check out CLMP's full report on Oakland County's participation in 2018.

For more information about the CLMP, please email Paul Steen at psteen@hrwc.org or call (734) 769-5123 x 601.