Mount Clemens approves opioid-settlement allocation for Families Against Narcotics outreach

The Mount Clemens City Commission voted to approve an allocation of opioid-settlement funds to Families Against Narcotics for its Harmless Street Outreach program.

City Manager Mr Shipman told commissioners the organization conducts street outreach, offers HIV and hepatitis C testing, and partners with McLaren Hospital and local clinics for street medicine and referrals. "Their street Outreach Team part[ners] with McLaren hospital to provide Street medicine and actively reach out to those who are unhoused," Shipman said during the meeting.

The commission recorded a motion to appropriate the funds and carried it on a roll-call vote. The transcript records the allocation amount as "2,283 37" (read at the meeting and commonly understood as $2,283.37); meeting materials or minutes should be consulted to confirm the exact figure and accounting line.

Shipman said the city previously provided a larger opioid-settlement allocation in 2023 and that the settlements come from multiple sources and are distributed on different schedules. He described two settlement streams: a distributor settlement that paid several years in advance and another allocation that pays annually over multiple years. "That first allocation we got" was said to be substantially larger, and Shipman said future annual payments are projected to average in the low thousands depending on the year.

Commissioners who spoke during discussion praised the outreach focus and noted the work is collaborative with public-safety and health partners. The motion carried on the recorded roll call.