KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The opioid epidemic has been a battle the Kalamazoo community has been fighting for a while now. Although it can’t be won overnight, the county is hoping to make a difference with a community-based task force.
Hope Thru Navigation CEO Gwendolyn Hooker wrote the resolution to kick start the Opioid Settlement Fund Task Force.
From her Aunt Tammy Kelly dying from fentanyl to the work she does with her organization, this work is important to her.
“The resolution was really written to earmark dollars specifically for really certain things that I envisioned would be important based on the work that I've been doing on the streets with this population for probably about 20 years," she said.
Kalamazoo County is one of many that will be receiving money from several opioid settlements involving pharmacies and various producers.
“This is the result of a crime that was committed that killed hundreds and thousands of people. And those people's families should be the people that are leading this work,” Hooker told FOX 17.
While the county is set to receive $14 million, Hooker and county officials agree that they need the community's help if they're going to make change, which is why they’re opening applications for people to apply.
"We're looking at that funding that's coming in from those settlement agreements and looking at over the next 16 years, the $14 million that we're gonna be getting, what should we be doing strategically with that funding,” said Deputy County Administrator of Kalamazoo County, Lyndi Smith.
They are looking for individuals with a mental health background, drug treatment, recovery, and community organizations. They are also seeking people who may be in active recovery or have loved ones struggling with addiction.
With the money the county is receiving, they want to "get it right" and focus on the overall theme of opioid remediation.
"So looking at what do we do moving forward to ensure that we're addressing the impact that maybe happened previously, but also looking at what do we ensure in the future that we are not in this situation again,” she said
In 2023, Hope Thru Navigation supported more than 1,300 people in Kalamazoo battling drug addiction. Hooker told FOX 17, "97% of them are using or have used some type of opioid drug, some type of a drug that's been laced with fentanyl because it's so easy to access."
She believes that with the right people on the task force, the county can increase services and opportunities for people to get clean. She says they need to make Narcan available and eliminate financial barriers to recover.
Applications for the task force will be open now through the end of January and can be filled out online. For future Hope Thru Navigation events and ways to get involved, click here.
