Has the opioid crisis hit your family? We seek Michigan stories
Bridge Michigan wants to hear from you.
Opioids have killed more than 11,000 Michiganders since 2018, fractured families and destroyed countless lives. Now, the state has $1.5 billion coming over the next 18 years from a national settlement with opioid manufacturers and distributors to be used for treatment and recovery.
This year, Bridge is examining the toll of opioids and amplifying stories that spotlight the overwhelming toll of the crisis, examining what works, what doesn’t and scrutinizing how public officials spend money from the settlement.
We are launching our examination with a deep look at transparency and urgency questions that have dogged Michigan’s approach to spending the settlement and spotlighting what states have a better approach and how the money is prompting a feeding frenzy of vendors.
We’ve mapped out how much Michigan communities will receive and spotlighted how struggles in Monroe County could foretell difficult conversations elsewhere.
At least 1,000 residents have died each year in Michigan from overdoses since 2014 and exponentially many more lives have been shattered. While no one can bring back what’s been lost from opioids, we can learn from the crisis and help future generations.
That’s why we want to hear from you. How have painkillers, heroin, fentanyl and other drugs affected your life or the lives of those you love?
What lessons can you share? What do our decision-makers need to know? Bridge brings you these important stories because ours is a two-way conversation with readers.
Drop a line to Robin Erb.
About these stories
Michigan is set to receive $1.5 billion from a national settlement with opioid manufacturers and distributors. Bridge Michigan interviewed more than four dozen experts, community leaders and researchers. Many expressed worries that Michigan has not set up enough oversight of how the money is being spent.
As opioid deaths mount, Michigan governments sit on millions for intervention
See how much your Michigan community will get in opioid settlement funds
Michigan opioid cash sparks feeding frenzy of vendors, seeking cut of $1.5B
Michigan county ‘hit ground running’ with opioid plan. Then came the complaints
Michigan won’t know how $725M is spent on opioid help. Other states do it better
Get help
For help with opioid abuse, call the SAMSHA National Hotline, a 24-hour, 365-day-a-year, treatment referral hotline. 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
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