CBHJ among seven recipients of grants announced by the Michigan Opioid Partnership for statewide post-overdose rapid response efforts, partnering with Calhoun County to expand PROACT program.
As part of activities through the Michigan Opioid Partnership, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, announced seven grants totaling over $1 million. The Center for Behavioral Health and Justice (CBHJ) at the Wayne State University School of Social Work is proud to be among the seven recipients across the state. This generous support will allow the CBHJ to expand the Proactive Response to Overdose and Appropriate Connections to Treatment (PROACT) program to Calhoun County, bridging the gap between emergency first response and treatment providers following nonfatal overdose events.
The overdose epidemic is one of the most pressing national and statewide issues, with 2,036 opioid-related in the state of Michigan in 2018. Research shows that in the 24 to 72 hours after a nonfatal opioid overdose, there is a critical window of opportunity to engage people who use drugs and connect them with resources to prevent a repeated overdose. While some organizations have formed post-overdose programs, many have been limited by legal misunderstandings and other barriers that prevent emergency first responders from having a seamless referral system to local treatment and harm reduction agencies.
Through the support of the Michigan Opioid Partnership, the CBHJ is building off successful PROACT initiatives in Kent and Monroe, where emergency response referrals to community mental health increased as much as tenfold. In Calhoun, the CBHJ will be partnering with the County Sheriff's Office, Summit Pointe Community Mental Health, and LifeCare Ambulance to implement and evaluate a referral system that will connect individuals who experience a non-fatal opioid overdose to recovery services.
"As we continue to combat the opioid crisis across our state, it is critical that we work together with partners such as the State of Michigan and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan to provide the most timely and effective treatments available," said Mariam Noland, president of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. "We must meet people where they are in their recovery and ensure that ample resources and services are accessible and obtainable for all Michiganders struggling with opioid use disorder."
"While much has been done in Michigan to combat the overdose crisis, there are still too many Michiganders losing their lives to preventable overdoses," said Dr. Joneigh S. Khaldun, chief deputy for health and chief medical executive. "By connecting those who have recently survived an overdose to naloxone, treatment, and other services, we can help reduce the risk of future overdoses and save more lives."
Along with the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice at the Wayne State University School of Social Work, the grantees are:
The Michigan Opioid Partnership is a public-private collaborative including the state of Michigan and key nonprofit funders, whose mission is to decrease Michigan opioid overdoses and deaths through prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and sustained recovery.
About the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice: The Wayne State University School of Social Work Center for Behavioral Health and envisions communities in which research, data, and best practices are used by multiple stakeholders to enhance the optimal well-being of individuals with mental illness and/or substance use disorders who come into contact with the criminal/legal system. Learn more
About the Michigan Opioid Partnership: A public-private collaborative including the state of Michigan and key nonprofit funders, the Michigan Opioid Partnership's mission is to decrease Michigan opioid overdoses and deaths through prevention, treatment, harm reduction and sustained recovery. The partnership is made up of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, the Ethel and James Flinn Foundation, The Jewish Fund, the Michigan Health Endowment Fund and the Superior Health Foundation. The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan is the administrative home for the partnership through a shared leadership model. Learn more