The Michigan Opioid Partnership is a public-private collaborative including the State of Michigan and key philanthropic organizations who share the goal of decreasing Michigan opioid overdoses and deaths.
Our aim is to increase access to treatment for individuals with opioid use disorder, which requires a multi-dimensional approach. The partnership helps hospitals and jails refine the process of identifying people with opioid use disorder during hospital visits and at jail intake and encourages them to initiate treatment via medication for opioid use disorder. The partnership also supports harm reduction efforts and advocates for cultural change to help individuals with opioid use disorder gain access to treatment.
To date, funding has supported Michigan hospital systems, jails, community foundations, and local nonprofits to pilot projects to combat the opioid crisis through prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and sustained recovery. As a result, people across the state of Michigan are beginning to receive increased access to lifesaving, evidence-based treatment and care.
Our History
2025
Collaborated with MDHHS to implement the identified policy and procedural recommendations to drive long term, system improvements.
Concluded the ED MOUD Initiative and transitioned resources and relationships to trusted long-standing entities to ensure sustained expert support and technical assistance for hospitals and providers.
2025
2024
Expanded New Detroit’s Just Care: Equitable Treatment of Patients with Opioid Use Disorder training to over one hundred emergency medicine providers.
Convened a stakeholder workgroup and developed policy and procedural recommendations to improve the long-term financial model and practice of ED MOUD.
2024
2023
Supported half of all emergency departments in Michigan to increase access to ED MOUD.
Published first qualitative evaluation of the ED MOUD Initiative by Vital Strategies and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Served a leadership role to represent Michigan philanthropy with the settlement funds and to spread awareness around endowment.
2023
2023
Supported half of all emergency departments in Michigan to increase access to ED MOUD.
Published first qualitative evaluation of the ED MOUD Initiative by Vital Strategies and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Served a leadership role to represent Michigan philanthropy with the settlement funds and to spread awareness around endowment.
2023
2022
Engaged clinical consultant team to provide free ED MOUD technical assistance.
Hosted Just Care: Equitable Treatment of Patients with Opioid Use Disorder training with New Detroit for emergency department physicians.
2022
2021
Made the first post overdose rapid response grant.
Began hosting post overdose rapid response convenings to share knowledge and increase collaboration among teams.
Partnered with Michigan Health and Hospital Association Keystone Center established to increase hospital engagement.
Created a training module with Vital Strategies and New Detroit for healthcare providers in the emergency department treating patients of color with OUD.
2021
2020
Made the first Michigan Harm Reduction Project grant.
Partnered with Vital Strategies and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to focus on evaluation and equity.
Started hosting ED MOUD learning collaboratives to share knowledge and increase collaboration.
2020
2019
Announced strategy with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to support innovative and evidence-based programs for people with OUD, leveraging public and private funds.
Made the first Emergency Department Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (ED MOUD) grant.
Partnered with the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice at Wayne State University to coordinate the jail-based treatment effort.
2019
2018
Added funders, including the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) renamed the effort as the Michigan Opioid Partnership.
2018
2017
Created the project: ‘Taking Action on Opioid and Prescription Drug abuse in Michigan by Supporting Community Responses’ with five funders.
2017
Michigan Opioid Partnership
Grant applications are accepted by invitation only.
Leadership Team
Audrey Harvey, MPH, CPS
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation
Drew Murray, MPP, MA
Michigan Health Endowment Fund
Marissa Natzke, MPH, RD, PMP
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
Core Team
Carmen Thomas
Consultant, Health and Human Services Initiatives
Emily Angyal, LMSW
Project Manager, Health and Human Services Initiatives
Marissa Natzke, MPH, RD, PMP
Senior Project Manager, Health and Human Services Initiatives
Sarah Wedepohl, MSW
Vice President, Community Impact
Have questions for our team? Contact us at [email protected].
If you or someone you know is struggling with opioid use disorder, visit Michigan.gov/opioids.
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