Allendale software firm adds jobs, looks to enter new juvenile court markets

BizStream LLC in Allendale has added a full-time and a part-time position as the company responds to demand for its consulting services and its proprietary CourtStream product that helps juvenile courts handle management of individual cases and facilities such as detention centers.

CourtStream is being used in Ottawa, Allegan, Washtenaw and Calhoun counties, says the company's co-owner Brian McKeiver, 29, who graduated from Grand Valley State University with a degree in computer science in 2002. He says BizStream hopes to make further inroads in other Michigan counties and courts in the state of Ohio.

Founded in 2000 under the BizStream name, the company he co-owns with Mark Schmidt now employs six full- and two part-time people, McKeiver says.

The CourtStream software reduces the need for paper documents in the juvenile court systems and allows case workers to securely access files from satellite locations or even home offices.  For instance, a case worker can easily call up court orders, detention information, offense history, case management history, and court calendars in one central location, greatly reducing the need to track down information from a variety of sources.

Since the information is centralized on each client, the caseworker doesn't need to spend time calling detention officers, therapists or other service providers. Anyone inquiring about a particular case can immediately see up-to-date information on a summary page, such as whether a client tests positive for a drug screen when being admitted into detention or does not show up for an appointment.

"One of the biggest beneficiaries of the software package are the kids themselves," McKeiver says. "They don't get lost in a court system, allowing them to get the help they need."

In addition to case management, CourtStream can generate reports for program evaluations and funding sources in a matter of minutes.

The company also sells and customizes its BizStream Portal that serves as an online Intranet for business applications.

Source: Brian McKeiver, BizStream LLC

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].