$2.4M grant to provide job training for incarcerated Michigan veterans

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – The state of Michigan has been awarded $2.4 million to fund a program designed to provide job training to incarcerated military veterans.

Tuesday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) announced the grant funding from the U.S. Department of Labor. It will help fund the new Michigan Incarcerated Veterans’ In-Reach Program (MIVIP), which has the goal of providing pre-release education, employment assistance and career guidance to incarcerated veterans at seven correctional facilities in Michigan.

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“The Michigan Incarcerated Veterans’ In-Reach Program builds on our ongoing efforts to support our veterans with opportunities to succeed,” Whitmer said. “The MIVIP program offers incarcerated veterans with job training so they can reenter society with a stable career, and it helps small businesses across Michigan meet their talent needs. This program will build on our economic momentum and aligns with the recent investments in the bipartisan budget I signed to improve staffing and enhance facilities in the Michigan Department of Corrections.”

MIVIP will be led by LEO’s Veterans’ Employment Services team and the Michigan Department of Corrections and the Michigan Works! network. As part of the program, veterans will also receive post-release services with the aim of reducing ‘recidivism,’ a criminal justice term referring to the rate at which people convicted of crimes are reincarcerated.

“One of the primary goals of the Michigan Incarcerated Veterans’ In-Reach Program is to help incarcerated veterans understand how their military experiences can bring value to the civilian workplace,” said Stephanie Beckhorn, Director of LEO’s Office of Employment and Training. “While serving in the military, many of these veterans acquired certifications or licenses, as well as marketable skills such as teamwork, problem solving, adaptability and effective communication – skills and qualities employers find desirable. Through MIVIP, veterans will learn how to leverage their military experience to help them successfully transition into civilian life.”

MIVIP provides boosts to each correctional facility’s existing programs, including basic adult education, GED certificate and violence prevention, substance abuse and counseling to address underlying mental health issues.

“This is an exciting and important addition to the host of services we provide to those under our supervision who will soon be returning to the community, especially for incarcerated veterans,” said Michigan Department of Corrections Director Heidi Washington. “This will help further set them on a path to success, enable them to more easily transition back into society, find employment and help reduce the recidivism rate even further.”

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