KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The City of Portage has spent roughly $52,000 of approximately $99,000 received from opioid settlement funds and is working with community leaders to determine how best to spend the remaining money to address the ongoing drug crisis.
I met with leaders at Portage City Hall to discuss how the settlement money will be allocated across various programs and initiatives designed to help the community recover from the opioid epidemic.
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Cities across Michigan are receiving money from class action lawsuits aimed at undoing the damage done by the opioid epidemic. Each community gets to decide how to use the funds, but they must be used for something related to the opioid crisis.
"The opioid crisis really hit its peak, as far as nation wide, several years ago. And then the lawsuits happened. And those take time, so it takes a little bit of time for the funds to trickle out to each individual community," said Adam Herringa, City of Portage Chief Operating Officer.
The city's existing Human Services board has final say.
"I'm pleased that the City of Portage has a Human Services board, which is a group of volunteers that really help guide the discussion and figure out, what's the best way for these funds to be used," Herringa said.
The money is being allocated to several key areas, including a substance use disorder counselor, contraband K9s, and a guest speaker. Primarily, funds will go to Portage Public Schools.
"Every community is a little different. So, each community decides on it's own as far as how these funds should be used, but they must be used for something related to the opioid epidemic," Herringa said.
The money is only just starting to go out into the community, with tens of thousands more dollars expected to be distributed in the coming years.
On March 11, there will be a public event featuring author Becky Savage, who will discuss her book about her lived experience with the opioid epidemic. Details for that event are still being worked out.
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