Calhoun County, MI

About Opioid Settlements

Beginning in 2014, lawsuits were issued against pharmacies and pharmaceutical drug companies for their role in fueling the opioid crisis. Local and state governments incurred significant costs due to the crisis. In 2021, over 75% of the nearly 107,000 drug overdose deaths in the United States involved opioids.

As a result of settlements reached with pharmacies and pharmaceutical drug companies, Michigan and local governments will receive payments from these entities.

The state of Michigan is slated to receive nearly $800 million from the opioid settlements over the next 18 years. Fifty percent (50%) of the settlement amount will be distributed directly to county, city, and township governments.

Calhoun County is currently estimated to receive approximately $11M over the next two decades.

Use of Opioid Settlement Funds

Opioid Settlement Funds must be spent on opioid remediation. Opioid remediation is defined as the care, treatment, and other programs and expenditures designed to

Address the misuse and abuse of opioid products
Treat or mitigate opioid use or related disorders
Mitigate other alleged effects of, including on those injured as a result of, the opioid epidemic

Calhoun County Opioid Settlement Funds
The County is undertaking a transparent and open approach to developing a spending plan for our $11 Million in opioid settlement funds, which will be received over the next 18 years. We anticipate both internal County deployment and some appropriation of funds to community partners.

Information was shared on the National Opioid Settlements and the County’s plans with the internal Countywide leadership group on Sept. 21 and with the Calhoun County Opioid Coalition on Sept. 27.

Calhoun County has engaged the assistance of the Technical Advisor for Opioid Settlement Funds Planning and Capacity Building with the Michigan Association of Counties (MAC), Amy Dolinky, to facilitate our Steering Committee’s efforts to develop our plans, to be approved by the County Board of Commissioners.

Calhoun County Opioid Steering Committee
Click here for the latest Steering Committee roster.

The Steering Committee will assist with the development of the County's spending plan.
Calhoun County Opioid Spending Plan (February 2024)
Calhoun County Planning Process Document (January 2024)

The Calhoun County Opioid Settlement Steering Committee meets monthly to develop the County's strategic spending plan for the best use of these restricted funds.

Meeting Materials
Thursday, April 25, 2024
Meeting Summary Notes
Meeting Agenda
Victory Clinical Services presentation

Thursday, March 28, 2024
Meeting Summary Notes
Meeting Agenda
Summit Pointe Substance Use Care Presentation
NHBP Health and Human Services Department Overview of Services Presentation
Michigan Opioid Advisory Commission Presentation

Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024
Meeting Summary Notes
Semi-Annual Report from the Medical Examiner's Office— Drug-Related Fatalities
2021 Annual Report on Deaths Related to Opioids and Other Drugs
Calhoun County Data related to Michigan Opioid Settlement Funds: Community Impact Survey 2024
Presentation on Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)
2022 Medical Examiners Report for Calhoun County
Michigan Overdose Data to Action Dashboard - Calhoun County
Presentation by the Michigan Overdose Fatality Review team in Calhoun County

Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024
Meeting Summary Notes

Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023
Meeting Agenda and Presentation
Meeting Summary Notes
YesCare and Sheriff's Office Presentation

For more information
Learn more about the settlement funds, restrictions on how they can be used, and current settlements by visiting the following websites: