Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility (WHV) in Ypsilanti is facing scrutiny following the third inmate death in less than one month. (Photo courtesy of the Michigan Department of Corrections)

Friday afternoon, the Michigan Department of Corrections released a summary of findings following third-party environmental testing at Women’s Huron Valley (WHV) Correctional Facility. The findings show no evidence of systemic black or toxic mold conditions inside the prison.

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 was previously conducted in 2022, and included the collection of over 100 surface samples and over 125 air samples. The second, more expansive round of testing was conducted in February and March of this year. More than 240 indoor air samples were collected in this phase — replicating the 2022 test locations — with additional samples being collected from common areas in each subject building.

In the new rounds of testing, sample analysis was expanded to include both fungal and non-fungal particulates. Follow-up surface sampling was conducted on April 7, 2026, and again on May 7, 2026, to evaluate the effectiveness of facility staff cleaning efforts at the few vent locations that had initially exhibited limited fungal growth indicators.

Airborne mold concentrations at the facility were found to consistently remain within normal parameters for each fungal type identified. More than 98% of tested locations were fully consistent with a Condition 1 status under the IICRC S520 standard, meaning mold types detected were common and concentrations were within the range expected for any normal indoor or outdoor environment.

The vast majority of surface locations sampled contained no indication of fungal growth. Post-cleaning samples collected on April 7 and again on May 7, 2026, confirmed that staff cleaning efforts had ultimately proven effective: all 8 initially flagged vent locations subsequently returned results of “no fungal growth” or “probably no fungal growth.”

According to MDOC, meaningful actions have been made in the last several weeks to improve health and safety at WHV Correctional Facility, 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 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 in the MDOC’s official release. “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.”

The full report is publicly available on the MDOC website, michigan.gov/corrections/transparency.

This website is also for the purpose of keeping the public up to date on information regarding this issue. The website will be updated regularly in alignment with MDOC’s commitment to transparency.

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Liam Houston can be reached at (906) 786-2021 or lhouston@dailypress.net