How Michigan communities are using opioid settlement funds
A three-month investigation by Bridge Michigan has revealed that only 28% of the $156 million received by Michigan counties and municipalities so far as part of nationwide opioid settlement agreements has been budgeted or spent.
Some governments have spent a lot of their money, others none at all. The lack of centralized oversight contributes to delays and inconsistencies in addressing the opioid crisis.
The data is current as of June 1.
Wayne County
Received: $16,847,398
Spent: $4,536,205
Details:
- Behavioral health services/supports for juvenile justice-impacted youth: $512,705
- Regional support for prevention, treatment, recovery, services: $2,000,000
- "Well Wayne Stations"; Naloxone/harm reduction supplies: $1,875,000
- Overdose prevention, harm reduction, anti-stigma media campaign; website development: $148,500
Macomb County
Received: $7,714,092
Spent: $2,481,214
Details:
- Administration (including county staff administration, pretrial specialists to assess and divert individuals into appropriate behavioral health programming, Community Mental Health reentry staff, and consultants to identify gaps in services, assist in developing programming models and identify evidence-based services): $184,289
- Residential substance abuse and co-occurring treatment (Meridian, SHAR Macomb, Team Wellness): $88,884
- Transitional housing providers: $12,552
- Sacred Heart jail-based MAT programming: $38,694
- CARE jail-based peer support: $24,326
- CARE jail-based behavioral health groups: $9,924
- Technology to address holds of those in jail awaiting release to behavioral health programming: $41,842
According to the county, contracts have recently been signed with Macomb Community College to provide crisis intervention training programming for first responders in Macomb County and CARE of Southeast Michigan to provide programming for families with children affected by opioid use.
Detroit (Wayne County)
Received: $11,090,467
Spent: $11,090,467
Details:
- Naloxone distribution through city-employed outreach workers: $89,000
- City staff to develop and implement projects: $111,000
- Quick Response Team to follow up with overdose survivors: $1,300,000
- Behavioral health services and staff in homelessness shelters: $650,000
Oakland County
Received: $5,241,000
Spent: $839,383
Details:
- Medication assisted treatment at the Oakland County Jail for fiscal years 2023 and 2024: $541,000
- Epidemiologist position focusing on administering the Opioid Settlement Steering Committee, asset mapping, studying opiate fatalities, and other data relevant to addressing the public health impacts of opioid addiction. ($63,293 for fiscal 2024 and $117,545 each for fiscals 2025 and 2026): $298,383
Kent County
Received: $4,591,324
Spent: $1,900,000
Details: Click here for a four-page draft plan of spending.
Update: In July, Kent County approved a two-year spending plan that includes an expansion of recovery coach services, jail-based treatment and the purchase of Naloxone.
Flint (Genesee County)
Received: $3,300,000
Spent: $865,000
Details:
- Public health navigators: $330,000
- Prevention literacy program: $50,000
- In-patient treatment: $200,000
- Ambulance: $225,000
- City Service Center sign: $9,924
Update: In August, Flint allocated $400,000 to its Office of Public Health to expand existing public health programming and services.
Kalamazoo County
Received: $4,667,344
Spent: $747,300
Details:
- Administration: $5,000
- Health Department (includes health educator): $188,000
- Kalamazoo County Jail (includes nurse position to expand MAT program; TEK84 body scanner): $375,600
- Office of Community Corrections (drug testing and monitoring for individuals unable to cover the cost themselves: $178,600
St. Clair County
Received: $3,145,236
Spent $344,430
Details:
- Recovery court coordinator, clerk: $142,556
- Training and travel: $695
- Program graduation supplies/incentives: $1,065
- St. Clair County Community Mental Health Authority: $23,325
- Huron House (drug testing): $5,180
- Huron House (GPS monitoring): $567
- Blue Water DRP (drug screening): $15,995
- Class A Training (drug testing): $250
- Attorney for Recovery Court: $4,715
- Blue Water Area Transportation, bus tickets: $80
- Body Scanner for jail: $150,000
Genesee County
Received: $2,019,065
Spent: $375,043
Details:
- Community Corrections deputy director position: $85,000;
- Opioid Executive Committee administrative funding: $5,000
- Matching grant from the opioid settlement's "core remediation": $114,000
- Other expenditures: $171,043
Muskegon County
Received: $2,735,401
Spent: $817,372
Details:
- Fresh Coast Alliance: $23,913
- Life Align, harm reduction: $35,500
- Life Align, recovery: $35,500
- Grand Rapids Red Project: $35,500
- Arbor Circle, treatment: $34,816
- Arbor Circle, recovery: $34,981
- Prosecutor's Office: $40,981
- 60th District Court: $40,160
- Sheriff's Office: $27,750
Calhoun County
Received: $1,900,558
Spent: $611,730
Details:
- Sheriff’s Office (more personnel on regional drug enforcement team): $75,930
- Sheriff’s Office (MAT within Calhoun County Jail): $235,800
- Health Department (Project access support): $200,000
- Battle Creek Community Foundation (to increase capacity at the homeless shelter): $100,000
Update: In September, Calhoun County approved a nearly $600,000 spending plan for eight local providers.
Saginaw County
Received: $1,402,015
Spent: $130,000
Details: Opioid methamphetamine treatment for those on supervision for non-felony cases: $130,000
Monroe County
Received: $2,468,603
Spent: $639,183
Details: Detailed 2023 spending here. Detailed 2024 spending plan here.
Berrien County
Received: $2,209,625
Spent: $1,084,398
Details:
- Jail Medication Assisted Treatment Program (MAT): $180,000
- First Church of God: $420,112
- Sacred Heart: $482,286
Grand Rapids (Kent County)
Received: $4,700,000
Spent: $800,000
Details:
- Renovation of Southside Health Clinic: $500,000
- Family Outreach Center holistic substance use treatment and services: $96,000
- Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services community service provider training: $37,000
- Grand Rapids Red Project, harm reduction supplies: $167,000
Bay County
Received: $1,729,040
Spent: $249,240
Details: unavailable
Update: In August, Bay County announced nearly $393,000 in initial spending for four local providers.
Sterling Heights (Macomb County)
Received: $1,500,000
Spent: $125,000
Details: Social worker and community mental wellness strategic plan: $125,000
Grand Traverse
Received: $1,750,000
Spent: $1,750,000
Details:
- Crisis services: $300,000
- Justice system involved residents (86th District Court): $164,000
- Opiate use disorder and substance use disorder workforce capacity building: $350,000
- Housing: $130,000
- Evaluation and outcomes: $87,500
- Prevention and outreach: $87,500
- Contingency: $563,000
- Contract Services (technical support and grant writing): $68,000
Montcalm County
Received $522,751
Spent: $201,668
Details:
- Montcalm Alano Club: $7,668
- Mid-Michigan District Health Department: $14,000
- Randy’s House: $43,000
- Sheridan Care: $68,500
- Corewell Health, Lakeview and Greenville: $68,500
Jackson County
Received: $891,570
Spent: $87,935
Details: Health Department opioid/marijuana health educator, $87,934
Ogemaw County
Received: $800,000
Spent: $30,000
Details:
- Training for drug enforcement officers: $20,000
Lansing (Ingham County)
Received: $800,000
Spent: $808,000
Details: $440,430 is equally distributed between police, fire and human relations and community services departments
Marquette County
Received: $847,000
Spent $100,000
Details: Health educator to teach prevention to high school students, provide community education and research grant opportunities: $65,500
Newaygo County
Received: $739,098
Spent: $277,222
Details: Did not provide breakdown, but a bulk of these funds pay for at least one school resource officer. In September, Newaygo County was reconsidering its plan and likely will direct money toward jail-based medication assisted treatment, the county administrator told Bridge.
Lapeer County
Recieved so far (if known): $312,857
Spent and budgeted: $400,000
Details: $400,000 budgeted in fiscal year 2023 and fiscal year 2024 for opioid-related expenses in district Court and sheriff's office. Expenses include medication assisted treatment for inmates and a drug recovery court. Note: Commissioners budgeted more than they had on hand in anticipation of receiving more settlement funds by the end of 2024.
Livonia (Wayne)
Received: $365,886
Spent: $100,765
Details:
- Wages: $5,740
- Reimbursement 16th District Court: $9,983
- Heigra, contract services: $52,474
Van Buren County
Received: $331,601
Spent: $11,000
Details: Narcan kits and display/distribution cases: $11,000
Hillsdale County
Received: $276,290
Spent: $95,067
Details: Equipment purchases; details not available
Cass County
Received: $580,573
Spent: $150,000
Details: unavailable
Westland (Wayne)
Received: $543,825
Spent so far (if known): $543,825
Details: unavailable
Alpena County
Received: $499,708
Spent $283,904
Details:
- HUNT (Huron Undercover Narcotics Team) Officer: $123,022
- Case management in drug court: $7,000
Wexford County
Received: $219,715
Spent: $120,262
Details:
- Informational campaign: $13,641
- Health Department media campaign: $15,000
- Veterans services: $10,146.00
- Sheriffs purchased deter kits: $10,146
- Transportation assistance: $30,000
- Substance use disorder assistance: $7,500
- Tru Narc machine: $39,204
Update: In August, Wexford County approved the hiring of a court-based peer recovery coach and funding for an Addiction Treatment Services Mobile Unit.
Pontiac (Oakland County)
Received: $463,950
Spent: $269,700
Details: unavailable
Otsego County
Received: $452,000
Spent: $30,000
Details: Health Department of Northwest Michigan RISE program: $30,000
Mason County
Received: $394,174
Spent $0
Details: Mason County has budgeted $192,000 for a community assessment, but has not spent the money until it is complete. County officials say they have reached out to Michigan State University to assist in completing the work.
Clare County
Received: $206,053
Spent $17,183
Details: Counseling and drug testing, $17,183
Ann Arbor (Washtenaw County)
Received: $380,453
Spent: $189,996
Details: City deflection program, $189,996
Canton Township (Wayne County)
Received: $388,331
Spent: $75,865
Details:
- Social worker embedded in police department: $120,349
- Administrative expenses: $36,730
Houghton County
Received: $250,685
Spent: $40,000
Details: Drug court, $40,000
Roseville (Macomb County)
Received: $368,370
Spent: $184,035
Details: unavailable
Osceola County
Received: $363,845
Spent: $271,559
Details: unavailable
Gladwin County
Received: $295,555
Spent: $67,336
Details:
- Body cameras: $60,351
- Recovery court: $6,985
Jackson (Jackson County)
Received: $281,728
Spent : $89,000
Details: Defibrillator equipment for drug overdoses, $89,000
Emmet County
Received: $130,979
Spent: $143,349
Details: County has spent money on "professional and contractual" costs but did not provide details.
Presque Isle County
Received: $229,256
Spent: $100,000
Details (if known):
$100,000 set aside in budget, but not spent as of June 1.
Eastpointe (Macomb County)
Received: $114,765
Spent: $114,765
Details: Funds to be spent on police and fire for training as departments see fit.
Farmington Hills (Oakland County)
Received: $119,272
Spent : $119,272
Details: There is no specific budget for opioid-related expenditures, according to Farmington Hills. Rather funds sift into personnel and operating budgets to be "used to respond to opioid-related incidents."
Benzie County
Received: $219,391
Spent: $100,000
Details:
- Education and prevention for youth, partnering with schools: $12,200
- Medication assisted treatment programming, expansion of drug court, emergency medical dispatch, professional development and training for first responders: $60,770
Port Huron (St Clair County)
Received: $101,800
Spent: $101,800
Details: Blue Water Recovery & Outreach: $101,800
Royal Oak (Oakland County)
Received: $213,217
Spent : $103,226
Details:
- Software upgrade for emergency medical dispatch: $74,836
- Royal Oak Community Coalition (programs for youth, pregnant and postpartum women): $5,000
- Expand police department Quick Response Team: $2,500
- Sobriety court testing: $20,000
Wyoming (Kent County)
Received: $273,133
Spent: $99,542
Details: unavailable
Leelanau County
Received: $194,938
Spent: $64,000
Detail: Unknown
Iron County
Received: $173,685
Spent: $21,504
Details: In-house counseling at the jail: $21,504
Chesterfield Township (Macomb County)
Received $100,577
Spent: $9,591
Details: Public safety, to details provided.
Pittsfield Township (Washtenaw)
Received: $400,000
Spent: $400,000
Details:
- Capital outlay, $375,000
- Services – IT maintenance, $20,000
- Miscellaneous, $5,000
Romulus (Wayne County)
Received: $198,032
Spent: $80,000
Details: unavailable
Dearborn Heights (Wayne County)
Received: $144,813
Spent: $71,455
Details: defibrillators in police cars
Montmorency County
Received: $138,671
Spent: $65,000
Details: Sunrise Centre Project, support for recovery meetings, Narcan distribution support, $24,735.62
Holland (Allegan, Ottawa counties)
Received: $136,000
Spent: $136,000
Details: unavailable
Wayne (Wayne County)
Received: $138,287
Spent: $44,450
Details: Wayne city officials hopes to use the funds for a "power stretcher" for medical calls.
Northville Township (Wayne County)
Received: $76,500
Spent: $25,000
Details: Northville officials say they are considering expenditures for public safety training and Northville Youth Network
Novi (Oakland County)
Received: $63,269
Spent $12,700
Details: unavailable
Missaukee County
Received: $7,500
Spent: $7,500
Details: Opioid diversion program, $7,500
Oscoda County
Received: $85,860
Spent: $72,580
Details: unavailable
Mackinac County
Received: $32,000
Spent: $10,000
Details: unavailable
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