Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel recently announced a new opioid settlement report and spending guidance that was released to the department's website. (Photo courtesy of the Michigan Department of Attorney General)

LANSING — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel on Thursday announced the release of a new opioid settlement report and spending guidance aimed at increasing transparency in how opioid settlement funds are used across the state.

The resources follow a revised State-Subdivision Agreement for Opioid Settlements negotiated in July 2025 between the Department of Attorney General and 86 Michigan Litigating Local Governments.

The revised agreement requires local governments and the State to report receipts and expenditures from opioid settlement funds, enables the Department of Attorney General to issue general guidance about opioid settlements and clarifies the department’s ability to request information about opioid settlements from participating local governments.

“The opioid epidemic has caused immense damage to Michigan families and communities,” Nessel said in a statement. “By providing spending guidance and accessible data, we are helping ensure that settlement funds remain focused on supporting recovery, prevention, and healing across our state.”

The Opioid Received/Expended Report, now available on the Michigan Department of Attorney General website, provides a detailed overview of how local governments are receiving and using opioid settlement funds from data submitted by local governments.

The preliminary report includes information collected between Jan. 1, 2023, and Dec. 10, 2025, and will continue to be updated as additional local governments submit reports to the Department of Attorney General.

The Settlement Spending Guidance and Non-Remediation List outlines recommended uses for the funds and identifies expenditures that likely do not qualify as opioid remediation, which include: education and training expenses not focused on opioid use disorder, substance use disorders, or mental health topics; law enforcement equipment, including but not limited to vests, guns, bullets, etc.; activities, programs, equipment, software or databases for the purpose of crime detection, apprehension or the development of evidence for criminal prosecution; and more.

The spending guidance and list will also continue to be updated.

According to the Michigan Department of Attorney General, Michigan governments are expected to receive nearly $1.8 billion in opioid settlement funds by 2040.

Half of the money will go directly to county, city and township governments, while the remaining 50% will be deposited into the Michigan Opioid Healing and Recovery Fund.

Locally, the Delta County Opioid Taskforce recently hosted the inaugural Upper Peninsula Opioid Taskforce Gathering. About 40 professionals from Upper Peninsula counties that have received opioid settlement funds attended the event to learn more about accessing and using the funding.

Delta County was awarded $1.6 million in opioid settlement funding in March 2023. The funds will be distributed over a 16-year period.

More information on the new opioid settlement report and spending guidance is available on the Michigan Department of Attorney General’s opioid settlements webpage.

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Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.