Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Sacred Heart reports opioid-settlement grant progress and plans new Berrien Center facility
Summary
Tricia Johnson of Sacred Heart Serenity Hills told the Berrien County board the program filled grant-funded positions, expanded hospital peer coverage and purchased a van that provided 320 rides; the agency said its new facility is fully funded and expected to open in January 2026.
Tricia Johnson, division leader at Sacred Heart Serenity Hills, told the Berrien County board that the substance-use treatment provider used county opioid-settlement funds to hire key staff, expand hospital outreach and buy a client transport vehicle while preparing to open a new facility in Berrien Center.
Johnson said the county-funded grant covered a full-time outpatient therapist position and two peer recovery coach positions. She acknowledged initial delays in hiring but said those positions are now filled: “We did, however, we we have changed a bit. We have had our HR folks come in for 2, job fairs locally. We also are providing a bonus, $6,000 bonus for folks coming in, and I think we have increased our outreach. But the good news is we have hired the positions that we intended to hire with the opioid settlement dollars.”
Johnson described operational gains tied to the hires. “We have a peer recovery coach…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
