EDITOR'S NOTE: This article first appeared in Bridge Michigan on Feb. 7, 2024. We are republishing it with permission to highlight where opioid settlement money in Michigan was distributed.
Bridge Michigan is Michigan’s largest nonprofit news service and one of the nation’s leading and largest nonprofit civic news providers.
Michigan counties, townships and cities will split about $725 million in opioid settlement funds over 18 years, with communities harder hit by the opioid crisis receiving more money per capita.
The Michigan funds are part of a national settlement of numerous lawsuits against manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies that were accused of downplaying the risks and ignoring the perils of prescription painkillers, fueling today’s opioid crisis.
Overall, Michigan will get about $1.5 billion, with slightly more than half going to the state and the rest to local jurisdictions.
Total settlement funds over 18 years to local governments range from almost $70 million coming to Wayne County to $173 to Union Charter Township in Isabella County.
“When I saw the amount, I figured it wasn’t worth the taxpayers’ time to fill in the paperwork” to get the funds, said Kelly VanMarter, manager in Genoa Township in Livingston County, which was set to receive $240 over 18 years.
Money that isn’t claimed by townships or cities are sent to the counties in which they are located.
Other large cities and counties in line for the settlement include Macomb County ($53 million) Oakland County ($35 million), Detroit ($43 million), Flint ($17 million) and Kent County ($18 million).
Communities are receiving different amounts per capita, depending on a formula the state developed to measure vulnerability to the crisis.
For example. Ogemaw County, in rural northeastern Michigan, will receive almost nine times more per capita ($1.8 million per 10,000 residents) than Ottawa County, near Grand Rapids ($208,000 per 10,000 residents.)
Michigan’s Substance Use Vulnerability Index takes into account factors such as fatal and nonfatal overdose rates, opioid prescription rates, drug arrests and distance to treatment centers.
EDITOR'S NOTE: According to additional coverage from Bridge Michigan, some northern Michigan counties have yet to spend their opioid settlement money.
Interlochen Public Radio is working to track how our communities are putting the money to use.
Have questions about how it all works? They may be helpful for shaping our coverage. Send an email to iprnews@interlochen.org