Jun. 26—TRAVERSE CITY — Grand Traverse County Prosecutor's office, in an about-face, reinstated its relationship with the Traverse Bay Children's Advocacy Center, citing an internal restructuring of the center.
"We look forward to immediately resuming our partnership and to working together to provide the best possible services to children and families in our area," Prosecutor Noelle Moeggenberg said in a press release issued Monday afternoon.
Specifics of the restructuring were not provided and neither Moeggenberg nor Center CEO Lisa Migazzi responded to a request for comment Monday evening.
Moeggenberg did say, in the release, there had been a "notable" increase in transparency at the Center, ongoing efforts to support employees and "meaningful discussions" that has led to restored trust among partners.
Those partners included the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office, the Michigan State Police, Traverse City Police and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
The reinstated partnership is an abrupt change from a statement issued by the prosecutor May 19, when Moeggenberg had announced she and her office would no longer work with the center. The prosecutor also resigned from her place on the organization's board of directors.
"This decision was based on the practices of TBCAC Board leadership, who, in my opinion, have neglected their obligation to ensure that the TBCAC is a well-run, trauma-informed, and financially supported organization that reflects best practices," Moeggenberg had said at the time.
Migazzi, hired as CEO March 9, previously said she was unaware of Moeggenberg's allegations, and the statement about severing their relationship had come as a surprise.
Former CEO of the organization, Ginger Kadlec, had been listed on the organization's website as one of the board members, although when checked on Monday, her name was no longer listed.
The Traverse Bay Child Advocacy Center aims to provide a multidisciplinary response to allegations of child abuse in a child-sensitive, trauma-informed environment, according to the group's website.
In trauma-informed care, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, providers recognize the toxic stress of traumatic childhood experiences and provide a safe, stable, environment that encourages resiliency.
Moeggenberg previously said the day-to-day employees who work with children at the center were not the problem, rather it was decision-making by the board of directors. In May, Moeggenberg said she and others were concerned the organization was expanding too quickly, exhibited a lack of transparency and collaboration among and between board members, budgetary problems and issues with the treatment of employees.