On Sept. 27, Mike Brouwer, Med, joined Johnson County Government as criminal justice coordinator. He will manage the county’s data-driven criminal justice efforts and major projects to address the root causes of criminal behavior, helping to create a better community. 

Brouwer comes to Johnson County from Douglas County, where he served as criminal justice coordinator since 2019. Prior to that, he worked for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for seven years where he assisted with the launch of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council. Douglas County has been recognized by Stepping Up as a National Innovator County.

Brouwer began his career working in community mental health, including 14 years for Johnson County Mental Health Center – seven years working in the CSS program and seven years on the Forensic Team providing mental health services in the Johnson County Adult Detention Center. Following that, he worked for the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office for two years as the team leader for reentry under the Second Chance Act grant.  

“We are confident Mike’s vast and nationally recognized experience will help us continue to advance innovative approaches to criminal justice reform,” said Johnson County Deputy County Manager Maury Thompson.  

Currently, Brouwer serves on the Governor’s Behavioral Health Services Planning Council Subcommittee and chairs the Mental Health Services in Jails Work Group, which led to the establishment of the Kansas Stepping Up Initiative Technical Assistance Center. He implemented the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program’s grant-funded Assess-Identify-Divert Program, selected by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as a national best practice site for screening and assessment in jail.  

The Douglas County Reentry Program has received national recognition by the National Institute of Corrections, SAMHSA, Vera Institute and the Council of State Governments Justice Center.  

Brouwer provides technical assistance for multiple counties in Kansas and nationally.  In 2020, he was featured in the National Association of County’s Community Portrait for the Data Driven Justice Initiative.  Brouwer’s work has been presented in two White House briefings and one Congressional Hill Hearing.  

During his career, Brouwer served on the steering committee for Johnson County’s Sequential Intercept Project, managed multiple Bureau of Justice Assistance grants, and served on the Governor’s Reentry Policy Council.

Brouwer is an alumnus of the University of Kansas. He has been a resident of Johnson County for nearly 30 years volunteering for youth sports, Boy Scouts of America, FIRST Robotics and the Teri Mathis Zenner Memorial Foundation.  Brouwer and his wife, Debra, live in Olathe.  Their two adult children reside in Boston.