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Coldwater intern outlines prevention outreach plan using settlement funds for community events
Summary
A Purdue Northwest intern proposed a prevention outreach program funded by opioid-settlement money, including a branded outreach tent (~$6,000), about 400 shirts (~$8,000), and stuffed animals; staff said no costs have been incurred and will evaluate next steps.
Brianna Martin, a senior at Purdue Northwest serving as an intern with the city, presented a prevention outreach proposal to the Coldwater City Council that would use opioid-settlement funds restricted to treatment and prevention activities.
Martin said the proposal aims to increase community awareness, boost constructive engagement with police in noncriminal settings and create durable, positive impressions through repeated outreach. The plan calls for a high-quality branded tent (quoted at about $6,000), roughly 400 graphic T-shirts (quoted at just under $8,000), and give-away stuffed animals to attract families and young people. The designs include the substance-abuse hotline on the back and collaboration branding with the Branch County Substance Abuse Task Force. Martin told the council the program had been allocated a little over $15,000 and that "not all of that funding was used, and it lives just over 12,000 for future projects as well." (quote attributed to Brianna Martin)
Police and staff attendees emphasized that no purchases have been made. A staff member noted the internship report is a proposal and that department leaders — including the director and the community engagement coordinator — will determine which components to implement. City staff said the items would be used at festivals and community events to provide a safe, branded space for outreach, to play ambient music or make announcements during events, and to support police community-engagement activities.
Why it matters: The plan would direct restricted settlement funds to prevention and community engagement, prioritizing nonpunitive contact points between residents and officers and increasing public awareness of treatment resources.
Next steps: Staff said they will review which parts of the proposal to implement; no city spending has been authorized yet.
