Prevention Through Coordination
The First UNITY Center Is Coming to Detroit
- Referral-Based Intake - Trusted community partners connect young adults to coordinated prevention support
- Coordinated Case Management - Individualized support that reduces fragmentation and strengthens pathways to stability
- Partner-Based Services - Connect to specialized providers across housing, employment, education, health, and legal support
Why Detroit, and why now
- Housing Instability & Homelessness
- Economic Hardship & Limited Opportunity
- Fragmented Support Systems
- Social Isolation & Lack of Stable Networks
- Elevated Vulnerability to Exploitation
What UNITY Detroit is
UNITY Detroit is a referral-based prevention hub designed to support young adults ages 18–21 who are at elevated risk of exploitation or trafficking.
What support includes
- individualized case management
- coordinated referrals to specialized partner services
- prevention-focused workshops and life-skills programming
- support related to housing, employment, education, health, and well-being
- limited basic-needs support for enrolled participants, including food, hygiene resources, and safe meeting space
Who UNITY Detroit is designed to serve
UNITY Detroit is focused on young adults ages 18–21 who are facing conditions that may increase vulnerability to exploitation.
- housing instability or homelessness
- economic hardship
- limited employment or education access
- prior foster care or juvenile justice involvement
- social isolation or lack of stable support systems
- other overlapping vulnerabilities that increase risk
Who is eligible for UNITY Detroit's prevention services?
UNITY Detroit is designed to serve young adults ages 18–21 who are facing conditions that may increase vulnerability to exploitation, including housing instability, economic hardship, limited employment or education access, prior foster care or juvenile justice involvement, or social isolation.
How does the referral process work for participants?
UNITY Detroit primarily accepts participants through referrals from trusted community partners such as social service agencies, schools, healthcare providers, and other organizations working with vulnerable young adults. This referral-based approach ensures coordinated support and effective resource allocation for those most likely to benefit.
Can community organizations partner with UNITY Detroit?
Yes, UNITY Detroit is partnership-based by design. We work with community organizations to strengthen the local prevention ecosystem by serving as a central coordination hub. Partner organizations can refer participants, provide specialized services, and collaborate on coordinated case management to support young adults more effectively.
What specific support services does UNITY Detroit provide?
Participants receive individualized case management, coordinated referrals to specialized partner services, prevention-focused workshops and life-skills programming, support related to housing, employment, education, and health, and limited basic-needs support including food, hygiene resources, and safe meeting space for enrolled participants.
Why is UNITY Detroit referral-based rather than open-access?
The referral-based model allows UNITY Detroit to focus resources on young adults most likely to benefit from coordinated support, maintain a clear and manageable service pipeline, provide consistent case oversight, and work effectively with trusted partners to deliver prevention services before harm deepens.
When will UNITY Detroit officially launch and begin serving participants?
UNITY Detroit is currently in launch development and will open soon. First-year implementation focuses on building the referral pipeline, establishing operations, hiring key staff, and preparing to serve an initial cohort of 50 young adults through structured prevention and stabilization services with depth and quality.