Eaton County Commissioners move forward on Substance Use Strategic Planning process

Stakeholders convene in December to Provide input 

CHARLOTTE, MI – Eaton County took a significant step forward Thursday in battling the drug overdose crisis with the Commissioners’ approval to initiate the county’s Strategic Planning Initiative around substance use and misuse. 

In partnership with the Barry-Eaton District Health Department, Eaton County will convene with stakeholders across the County in December.  The County is seeking a variety of individuals to assist in the strategic planning process, identify priorities for opioid settlement funds, and work to create a more coordinated system of care for those most profoundly impacted by substance use disorder, co-occurring substance use and mental health conditions, and drug overdose.  The initial kick-off meeting will have a registration capacity limit of 100 community stakeholders; other opportunities for involvement will be made available in the near future.

“The opioid crisis has impacted so many lives, families, businesses, and communities within our county,” said Eaton County Board of Commissioners Chair Jim Mott. “We want to hear a variety of perspectives on how best to move forward on effectively addressing substance use to establish a vision, mission, and core principles for the critical work that lies ahead of us.”

The planning process will create a three-year, countywide strategic plan that provides recommendations to the County on how to use the opioid settlement funds. The plan will demonstrate actionable steps that can be implemented across sectors and fields to address local community needs. Eaton County expects to receive nearly $400,000 annually for mandatory opioid remediation strategies over the next 18 years. 

From 2021 to 2022, Eaton County experienced 28 opioid-related deaths, with countless others who have had their lives touched by addiction. The average age of the deceased was 43. To get involved, fill out the following survey at Strategic Plan - Substance Use and Misuse | Eaton County, MI