Delta County Opioid Taskforce seeks applicants for mini grants
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ESCANABA -- Local organizations and initiatives working to address the opioid crisis can once again apply for a share of Delta County's opioid settlement funds through the Delta County Opioid Taskforce's mini grant program.
The taskforce is accepting applications for grants of up to $3,000, although smaller requests are encouraged. Applications must be submitted to the Delta County Administration Office by Aug. 31 and must be received at least 60 days before an event or project begins.
Steve Howes, DCOT's chairperson, said the need for opioid prevention, treatment and recovery services is particularly prevalent, in light of the recent overdoses in Menominee and Marinette Counties.
In late July, the Menominee Police Department announced one person died and at least four others overdosed in what authorities believe is a series of incidents involving tainted cocaine.
"We are in need of public campaigns, strong advocacy and programs that can provide a strong impactful deterrent, prevention and intervention effect," Howes said.
Eligible applicants include registered nonprofit organizations, local government agencies, community-based organizations and tribal agencies operating in Delta County.
Funding must be used by qualified organizations and initiatives to carry out programs, projects and strategies that align with the taskforce's key focus areas of harm reduction, prevention, treatment and recovery and must comply with opioid settlement fund guidelines established by the Michigan Department of Attorney General.
Each qualifying organization may apply for one mini grant per county fiscal year, which runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30.
Applicants can also determine whether their proposed program or initiative qualifies by referring to Michigan Compiled Law 12.253, Exhibit E, the official attachment to national opioid settlement agreements. The document outlines approved, evidence-based uses for settlement funds, including treatment, prevention and harm reduction.
The taskforce will evaluate applications during its monthly meeting Sept. 4 at the Delta County Service Center, 2920 College Avenue.
To apply, fill out the mini grant application located on the Delta County website. For more information, email Delta County Administrator Emily DeSalvo at edesalvo@deltacountymi.org.
The number of grants awarded by DCOT each year will depend on the amount of funding available for allocation.
In addition to the mini grant program, the county periodically offers grants of up to $30,000 for large-scale projects that also aim to fight opioid addiction or mitigate community harm caused by drug abuse.
Delta County was awarded $1.6 million in opioid settlement funds in March 2023. The money will be distributed over 16 years and is designated for opioid remediation, including prevention, treatment and other community needs.
DCOT was created to help ensure the money is used effectively and in accordance with settlement requirements. It has since worked with the Michigan Association of Counties (MAC) to educate other counties in how to use opioid settlement funds.
Howes added, "Many counties in the state and nation are still not using what has been provided to them through the settlement funds."
MAC has provided no-cost technical assistance to county governments on planning and use of opioid settlement funds since November 2022.
Locally, DCOT also hosted the inaugural Upper Peninsula Opioid Taskforce Gathering, bringing together approximately 40 professionals from Upper Peninsula counties that have received opioid settlement funds to share information, discuss challenges and explore effective strategies for using settlement funds to address the opioid crisis.
The taskforce has awarded several grants to various local organizations, including but not limited to approximately $30,000 to Escanaba Area Public Schools for vaping detection devices, $8,000 to the Escanaba Student Success Center for similar devices, $30,000 to the Delta County Drug & Sobriety Court and $30,000 to Great Lakes Recovery Centers to help provide inpatient beds for individuals with opioid addictions who require advanced care.
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has also compiled five guiding principles, endorsed by more than 60 organizations nationwide, for spending opioid settlement funds.
The principles call for communities to spend the money to save lives, use evidence to guide spending, invest in youth prevention, focus on racial equity and develop a fair and transparent process for deciding how the funds are allocated.
The public can learn more about how Michigan counties are utilizing opioid settlement funds by reading the Michigan Department of Attorney General’s (MDAG) opioid settlement report and spending guidance, which is available on the MDAG’s opioid settlements webpage.
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Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.