The Community Relations Division seeks to enhance communication around common issues, provide new options in service delivery, and facilitate access to outreach and education by the development of formal and informal relationships with communities, organizations, businesses, and educational institutions.  The Community Relations Division is responsible for designing, effectuating and maintaining partnerships and initiatives that will further the mission of the department and reach out and offer its services to a multitude of other Michigan residents.  MDCR colleagues are then able to utilize the initiatives of the Community Relations Division to better service their customers on a daily basis.

            Initiatives and Partnerships

            Multi Cultural Liaison (MCL) Initiative: The goals of the MCL initiative are to 1) build the cultural competency of MDCR colleagues, 2) provide outreach to the ethnic and disability communities and 3) develop a resource/information bank regarding the target populations in the state.  MCLs currently represent five major cultural groups:   African American, American Indian, Arab American, Asian American, and Latino American.

            MCLs are responsible to provide technical assistance regarding MDCR programs and services to their respective communities:  They must be knowledgeable of their communities in the state so that MDCR programs and services are made available upon request.  They are actively involved in various organizations within their communities, particularly sitting on boards and organizations that provide advocacy and services to the members of the various cultures.  Each MCL is also a part of different projects/initiatives with their communities to enhance the quality of life for its membership.   

                         Building Cultural Competency (BCC) Training:  This workshop is offered in 8 hour or 4 hour sessions. The information in the presentations will enhance participants' understanding of five major cultural groups: African American, American Indian, Arab American, Asian American, and Latino American. Information will address the complexity and challenges of various issues within a multi-cultural society, as well as within the work environment. Topics covered include cultural protocols, cross-cultural communication, definition and name evolution, the impact of significant historical civil rights events, cultural characteristics and dispelling myths and stereotypes that lead to bias and discrimination. The 4 hour presentation concentrates on embracing cultural diversity in the workplace.   

            Expanded Community Liaisons (ECL): MDCR colleagues were appointed to serve as Expanded Community Liaisons to sixteen Michigan Communities: Adrian, Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Chippewa County, Holland, Jackson, Mackinaw County, Midland, Monroe, Mount Clemens, Mount Pleasant, Muskegon, Pontiac, Port Huron, and Ypsilanti.     These communities do not have an MDCR office to work with them regarding their civil rights related issues.  The ECL initiative assures that the Expanded Community Liaison would be the primary contact person between the community and all MDCR resources.  The Enforcement Unit of the ECL also becomes involved in the issues and requests of the expanded community.

            ECLs have the responsibility of keeping the pulse of their community regarding civil rights related issues.  They attend meetings in that community and know the key governmental and community leaders of various groups and organizations.  These organizations include, but are not limited to city managers/department heads, law enforcement, educational institutions/parent organizations, ethnic agencies/organizations, and disability groups. 

            Crisis Response Team (CRT): The CRT was designed to initiate pro-active measures and to intervene when necessary to diffuse situations involving community tension and unrest, and to assure that all people enjoy equal rights under the law.  To carry out its responsibility, the department monitors and intervenes in civil rights related incidents causing tension or unrest.  This includes, but is not limited to, incidents involving race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or other civil rights related matters.

            MDCR will fully utilize its partnership and liaison relationships established through its collaborations with law enforcement agencies, community and faith-based institutions, business community representatives and advocacy agencies located within a community. In all instances MDCR will initiate pro-active measures to restore the civil rights health of the community.

            Human Relations Commissions (HRC)/MDCR Partnership:  The Michigan Department of Civil Right’s relationship with the state’s Human Relations Commissions (HRCs) is an important segment of its efforts to partner with local municipalities and other groups and coalitions.  These local Commissions and staff can assist MDCR to stay in tune with issues of a civil rights nature.  The regular meetings hosted by MDCR with the directors of the HRCs are a vital link to these Commissions and the sharing of information between themselves and MDCR.  The partnership with the HRCs could potentially strengthen their positions within their local communities.  This will in turn facilitate MDCR’s work on the local level.

            The advocacy roles of Human Relations Commissions can provide MDCR colleagues with an abundance of resources to fulfill their job responsibilities.  Some of the local partnerships/collaborations that could be maintained with HRCs are as follows: fair housing activities; Anti-Klan efforts; dual MDCR and HRC related complaint intake and investigation; and hate crime reporting and investigative activities.