During the Great Recession, Shanelle Jackson was a leader in securing appropriations that protected working families, strengthened essential services, and preserved key Detroit institutions. In one of the toughest fiscal climates in modern history, she fought for children, families, healthcare access, and communities that needed government to respond with seriousness and results.

Strengthening the Safety Net

• $25.6 million in General Fund support for child day care payments
• $7 million in General Fund funding to increase the Family Independence Program clothing allowance from $43 to $100 per child
• $5.4 million for 72 additional staff members to manage rising caseloads in local offices, including high-volume Detroit DHS offices
• $1 million for older foster youth transitioning out of care
• $1.4 million restored for indigent burial services
• $450,000 increase for food banks
• $200,000 for the MSU Kinship Care Center
• $100,000 for Michigan 2-1-1 services

Protecting Healthcare and Essential Services

• $130.1 million gross for increased Medicaid Health Plan rates, including a 4.2% increase for Medicaid Health Plan Services and a 2.5% increase for Mental Health and Substance Abuse services
• $243.1 million gross added to the Medicaid services base
• Continued support for Disproportionate Share Hospital funding, helping ensure millions in supplemental funding reached safety-net hospitals such as the Detroit Medical Center
• Significant Medicaid caseload and base-funding adjustments during a period of growing need

Fighting for Children

• $4 million for a second child welfare needs assessment required under court-ordered reform
• $2.7 million for technology upgrades to modernize the state’s child welfare tracking systems
• Support for 335 child welfare staff positions to improve oversight, meet caseload standards, and strengthen child safety

Delivering for Detroit

• Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History – approximately $992,399 annually for operations
• Detroit Historical Society – $199,246 for the Main Historical Museum and Dossin Great Lakes Museum
• Detroit Zoological Society – $475,018 for essential insurance and security costs
• Eastern Market – $100,000 for utility cost assistance
• Detroit City Airport – $275,000 General Fund subsidy to support its transition to an independent authority

Shanelle Jackson did not step back in a moment of crisis – she stepped up. During one of the toughest economic periods in modern history, she fought to secure resources, protect essential services, and deliver support to the families, institutions, and communities that needed it most. That is the kind of leadership she brings: tested, strategic, and results-driven.