County task force recommends using $5.8M in opioid settlement funds for treatment, housing and quick‑response expansion

Grand Traverse County commissioners received a strategic plan from the county’s Opioid Epidemic Task Force outlining priorities for approximately $5.8 million in expected opioid‑settlement funds, of which about $1.64 million has already been received.

Deputy County Administrator Chris Forsyth summarized funding sources and timelines and noted that some settlements pay out over many years. "A lot of the unknowns are now knowns," Forsyth said, reporting the county’s expected total has increased and that additional defendant settlements (including Purdue Pharma) could add funds in the future.

Consultant Sarah Bannon, who led the task force process, described an 11‑session stakeholder process that produced a needs assessment and prioritized recommendations. Top recommendations include expansion of a countywide quick response team (QRT) to connect people after nonfatal overdoses with treatment and supports; expanded court and reentry supports; investments in treatment capacity and recovery housing; and transportation assistance tied to care access. The task force emphasized the need to coordinate these dollars with state and PIHP (prepaid inpatient health plan) funding opportunities and to maximize other grant sources.

"The task force believes strongly that, since these dollars are not going to be expended in the next year or two, we need a standardized process that will be revisited over time," Bannon said. She recommended a recurring stakeholder review to refresh priorities and data as payments arrive over a projected 17‑year payout period.

Providers and residents urged commissioners to accelerate fund distribution and to adopt a transparent application process. Project Unity and other recovery providers described ready‑to‑start projects — for example, converting existing space to recovery housing and scaling community recovery services — and asked the board to set a near‑term target date for disbursement. Several public speakers pressed for sustained funding for medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in the county jail, noting recent funding interruptions and the high overdose risk on reentry.

County staff said they are monitoring state RFPs and RFIs and have applied for competitive grants; they also noted some recent state and federal opportunities have been competitive or limited. Staff told the board they will develop a county application process and return with a timeline for disbursement and governance, and they recommended continuing to pursue matching grants and PIHP funding to magnify settlement dollars.

Several task force members and community speakers highlighted two recurring nonclinical needs that make treatment less effective without supportive infrastructure: affordable recovery housing and transportation to services. Task force members asked the board to consider a go‑live or decision date for initial disbursements (some speakers suggested a 60–120 day target) and to set up ongoing oversight to review spending and outcomes.

The board agreed to form a county review process and scheduled further policy and process work in April to develop the application and oversight steps needed to allocate the funds.