Clare County to convene stakeholders to plan use of $160,000 in opioid-settlement funds

Clare County officials said the county has received approximately $160,000 in opioid‑settlement funds and will convene a stakeholder meeting to develop a local spending plan focused on harm reduction and supports for people with opioid use disorder.

In an administrative report, a county staff member told commissioners the funds come from two separate settlements and cover payments expected for the county’s first five years of receipts. The speaker said the county has not yet received a full breakdown of how the funds were allocated across settlements and that further work is needed to craft program priorities.

The planned stakeholder meeting will include the prosecuting attorney, recovery court representatives, the sheriff and undersheriff, the county health department and hospital partners that provide addiction treatment services, the staff member said. The county administrator and other staff will meet with the clerk and stakeholders to finalize a strategic plan and spending process before the money is distributed to community programs.

Why it matters: opioid‑settlement money is intended to support local harm-reduction, treatment, and prevention programs. County staff emphasized the need to coordinate public-safety, health and justice stakeholders so funds are used in ways aligned with local needs and eligible uses under the settlements.

The speaker asked for input from partners, and commissioners encouraged including Michigan Works and other workforce and reentry partners in planning, citing their role in offender success and community reentry. No specific grants, contracts or program allocations were approved at the meeting; officials said a community process would precede spending decisions.

What’s next: county staff will host the stakeholder meeting and return to the board with a recommended plan and implementation steps for review.