Detroit — The five county-based Catholic social service agencies that operate in the Archdiocese of Detroit will be combined into a single, archdiocesan-wide social service entity, Archbishop Vigneron announced last week.

The new entity will be called Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan (CCSEM).

The reorganization — which will occur over the next several months — will bring the social service structure of the local Church more in line with how most other dioceses in the United States operate.

In a letter to Catholics (see page 6), Archbishop Vigneron explained that the move would increase the efficiency of the regional Catholic social services network and lead to a greater ability for the Church to connect those in need with any type of services, whether they be the services of CCSEM or those in parishes and vicariates.

“I have asked all involved in these considerations to focus on the dignity of the person, with a high value on the individual, a commitment to accompany God’s people through the trials of life, and an emphasis on strengthening families,” the archbishop said.

Msgr. Charles Kosanke, the current president of the board of Catholic Social Services of Oakland County, has been appointed the chairman of CCSEM.  Thomas Reed, current CEO of Catholic Social Services of Macomb and Lapeer Counties, has been named interim executve director of CCSEM. Archbishop Vigneron will be president of CCSEM.

Msgr. Kosanke says he’s excited about his new role and hopes to draw on various aspects of his ministry at the Macomb County agency, as a pastor, and as the spiritual director for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The work of CCSEM, he says, is directly tied to the Gospel message of helping those in need.

“It’s an important aspect of the mission of the archdiocese to be able to provide professional services to help people with various needs — especially at a time in southeast Michigan when the economy has been hard on a lot of people,” he says.

Throughout the remainder of 2011, with input from Msgr. Kosanke and the archbishop, Reed will lead the five entities in looking at what services are provided by each, how they fit with the mission of the Catholic Church, and how to most efficiently use the resources at hand in a combined entity.

Combined, the five current agencies have funding of approximately $20 million annually. They serve about 20,000 individuals and families each year with services such as counseling, senior services, adoption support, foster care and educational endeavors.

Most funding comes through state and federal grants. Some also comes through organizations such as the United Way, contributions from individuals, and fees for some of the services provided.

At present, as lawmakers haggle over how to resolve both the state and federal budgets, the grant money for such social services is often targeted for cuts. Such is a major consideration in figuring out how to combine the agencies into CCSEM, Reed said.

“The state budget and the federal budget are all being challenged right now, and it’s undetermined what resources we’ll have available,” he said.

One of the more attractive elements of combining the county-based agencies, he added, is that it helps the Church’s social services arm focus on its mission.

Currently, the Catholic social service agencies that operate in the Archdiocese of Detroit are Catholic Social Services of Wayne County, Catholic Social Services of Oakland County, Catholic Charities of Monroe County, Catholic Social Services of St. Clair County, and Catholic Services of Macomb and Lapeer Counties.