The Berrien County Opioid Settlement Task Force has delivered a proposal to the Berrien County Board of Commissioners regarding $4 million the county is receiving as a result of a multi-state opioid settlement with several drug companies.
Speaking to commissioners Thursday, Berrien County Health Officer Guy Miller said the task force is recommending the county commission put out a request for proposals to find an organization to draft a plan for the money.
“There’s a lot of intricacies in the opioid world and in the substance use disorder world that we would propose that there’s a proposal review team assembled that can help review and score these templates,” Miller said. “We’re going to need corporate counsel input, we’re going to need financial services to review these documents, we’re going to need a long-term evaluation team.”
Berrien County Administrator Brian Dissette said everything’s up to the commissioners now.
“Getting these dollars out into the system and putting them to work, if you move with some speed, you are potentially saving lives,” Dissette said. “So please, take the good work from the task force, digest it, and bring back your feedback at the earliest opportunity.”
A detailed proposal was not delivered to commissioners, but instead an RFP for them to seek one. Miller said priorities include training, first responder strategies, and workforce development.
The county is receiving its opioid settlement money over 18 years, so this is a long-term plan.
The county commission will now review that proposed RFP and make a decision in the coming weeks.
