Expert Summary of Findings for Mold Testing at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility Shows No Systemic Toxic Mold Conditions

Summary of Findings Publicly Available on New MDOC Health and Transparency Website

LANSING, Mich - The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) today released a summary of findings from third-party environmental testing completed at Women's Huron Valley (WHV) Correctional Facility, which shows no evidence of systemic black or toxic mold conditions.

As part of ongoing litigation into allegations of toxic mold, MDOC hired a third-party contractor, Mold Quest International, to complete the proactive and comprehensive environmental testing at WHV Correctional Facility. Testing took place in 2022 and February and March of 2026, with follow up testing in April and May of 2026. The findings show that "Air quality results were normal at nearly all locations tested, and the limited HVAC vent locations that exhibited minor growth indicators have since been resolved via staff cleaning efforts."

A summary of findings is available online at: https://www.michigan.gov/corrections/transparency.

"The safety and wellbeing of the people in our care is our top priority and that starts with ensuring our facilities are clean, safe, and humane. That's why we have taken several deliberate steps in recent weeks to improve conditions at Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility," said MDOC Director Heidi E. Washington. "When I committed to transparency and releasing the summary of environmental findings, I meant it. At the same time, I want to be clear that we recognize this is an ongoing responsibility. We will continue to closely monitor the conditions at the facility and conduct regular cleanings."

MDOC has taken meaningful actions at WHV Correctional Facility in the last several weeks to improve health and safety, including bringing in additional leadership and health care staff, improving communication processes, and working to develop a new healthcare staffing plan which includes hiring more full-time medical staff. The department also completes routine inspections, maintenance, and cleaning throughout all its facilities on a regular basis.

As a commitment to transparency of facility conditions, healthcare, safety, and ongoing investigations within Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility, MDOC launched a Health and Safety Transparency and Action website. The new website will be regularly updated with information on current internal and external investigations, as well as answers to frequently asked questions, press statements, and more.

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