Several CMF members have formed an official partnership to leverage their efforts to address our state’s opioid epidemic.

The Michigan Opioid Partnership which officially launched in December includes five CMF members: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan (CFSEM), Ethel and James Flinn Foundation, Michigan Health Endowment Fund and The Jewish Fund, as well as the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Superior Health Foundation.

According to CFSEM’s press release, the partnership will distribute $2.6 million in grants to support efforts on Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), an evidence-based treatment for opioid addiction that includes both medication and behavioral therapy.

The release says research has shown that beginning with MAT in emergency departments can lead to better patient outcomes.

The partnership is inviting hospitals and organizations statewide to apply for grants.

As CMF has reported, several of the CMF members involved in the partnership have been working together for a couple of years on projects and programs aimed at implementing strategies to prevent opioid abuse including leading education efforts for CMF members through webinars and discussions during meetings of the CMF Health Funders Affinity Group.

Michigan’s opioid epidemic by the numbers (state data):

• In 2017 there were 2,729 drug overdose deaths in Michigan.

• From 1999 to 2016 there was a 17x increase in overdose deaths in our state.

• In 2015, 11.4 million prescriptions for painkillers were written in Michigan.

MDHHS and the state continue to work on policies, programs and systems to reduce opioid abuse rates. Additionally, the state recently launched a new website to serve as a hub on information and resources about the opioid epidemic.

Since the launch of the Michigan Automated Prescription System (MAPS), which provides real-time prescription data and resources to better assess a patient’s risk for a substance use disorder, the state says there has been an 803 percent increase in the number of times physicians and pharmacists have checked patient prescription history information through MAPS.

This work combined with other efforts, including legislation, has led to a nearly 11 percent drop in opioid prescriptions, according to the state.

As the data shows, there’s still more work to do. The Michigan Opioid Partnership expects to announce its grant recipients soon.

Want more?

The opioid epidemic is on the agenda for discussion at the CMF Health Funders Affinity Group meeting on April 11^th.

Check out the state’s opioid-focused website.

Learn more about the Michigan Opioid Partnership.