Non-binary designation added for Michigan driver's licenses

A “Child Welfare Prevention Continuum” will be hosted online by Michigan’s Child Welfare Services (CWS) on Tuesday, November 30 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. This free webinar is intended for jurists, court staff and attorneys.

The training will provide an overview of the Prevention Continuum, a targeted service array of prevention and reunification services available to children and families who are involved in, or at risk of becoming involved in, the foster care system. Prevention services can be provided prior to a child protection petition being filed with the court, and reunification services can be utilized when returning a child home from foster care, both of which are valuable tools to help ensure child safety in their own homes.

Participants will learn about the current prevention and reunification services available to families, which vary greatly around the state, as well as plans for expansion of the services.

Speakers are Tiffany Kostelec—mLANSING (AP) —Michigan residents are now able to have a non-binary sex designation on their driver’s license or state identification card.

Those interested in changing their sex marker do not need any documentation from a health care provider or a court affirming their identity. The non-binary designation will be annotated as an “X” on the cards.

People are non-binary if their gender identity is not strictly male or female.

It is not the first time Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has moved to broaden options for residents’ identities. In 2019, she announced that transgender individuals could correct their sex designations on their driver’s licenses without having to provide medical or court documentation.

“I am proud to support Michiganders across the state who for many years have called on the Department of State to provide a non-binary sex marker on their ID that matches their lived reality,” Benson said in a recent news release.

anager, Home Visiting Unit, MDHHS; Nancy Rostoni—manager, Family Preservation Unit, MDHHS, Children’s Services Agency; Jason Sroufe—senior director, Clinical and Family Services, Wellspring Lutheran Services.

To register, visit: www.courts.michigan.gov and scroll to “Upcoming Events.”