Michigan Gets $2.25 to Fight Opioid Overdose Deaths

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has given Michigan a $2.25 million grant to help fight prescription opioid overdose deaths.

The grant to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is part of a $53 million package granted to 44 states, four tribes and the District of Columbia.

The money will be doled out over a three-year period as part of the CDC’s “Prescription Drug Overdose: Data-Driven Prevention Initiative.” Michigan will get about $430,000 a year.

The funding will support Michigan’s ongoing efforts to advance and evaluate state-level prevention of opioid misuse, abuse, and overdose efforts to reduce the number of prescription drug overdose deaths in the state, the health department said in a news release.

Using data to address the number of opioid-related overdoses builds on the CDC-funded Prescription Drug Overdose: Prevention for States program, and supports the Michigan Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Task Force recommendations.

“Addiction is an epidemic that is impacting families all across our state and country,” Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, chair of the Prescription Drug and Opioid Task Force, said in the news release. “Michigan is taking action by focusing on community prevention and early detection, and working to connect people with better treatment options. This federal grant will help in our efforts to provide more second chances for Michiganders.”

DDPI funding will further Michigan’s efforts to:

• improve data collection and analysis around opioid misuse, abuse and overdose;
• develop a strategy to combat the epidemic; and,
• work with communities to develop larger, more comprehensive opioid overdose prevention programs.

From 1999 to 2014, Michigan saw a four-fold increase in unintentional fatal drug poisonings, and the state was ranked 10th in the nation in per capita prescribing rates of opioid pain relievers in 2012.

“This is an excellent opportunity to expand coordination of efforts and resources to address the complex problem of opioid misuse and abuse in our state,” said Dr. Eden Wells, MDHHS chief medical executive. “These funds will support efforts with state and community partners to develop a statewide strategic plan that will help Michigan communities build capacity at the local level.”

Michigan’s participation in the DDPI is a vital part of CDC’s ongoing efforts to identify and enhance evidence-based programs across the nation making progress in the fight against the opioid overdose epidemic. DDPI provides resources and support to advance and evaluate state-level interventions for preventing prescription drug misuse, abuse, and overdose.

Image by frankieleon via Flickr Commons