The Van Buren County opioid committee presented grant recommendations Nov. 13 and the board voted to approve the awards and authorize contract execution.

The committee presented nine applications and said requests totaled about $900,000. The committee recommended targeting $150,000 per year ($300,000 across two years) and selected two awards: $155,000 to specialty courts, and $55,000 to the Van Buren County Youth Initiative.

According to the committee’s presentation, the specialty-courts award includes a $65,000 vehicle purchase, $30,000 for staff education and training, $50,000 for housing assistance and $10,000 for GED programming. The committee representative said the vehicle purchase will reduce mileage costs and support program operations.

The youth initiative award of $55,000 — substantially less than the $300,000 originally requested by the group — would fund a school assembly program across districts, reaching more than 6,000 students, the committee said. Committee members said they had judged applications against targeted opioid-response needs and prioritized programming likely to reduce substance misuse among youths and people in specialty courts.

Commissioners spoke in support of the committee’s work; a motion to approve the awards passed by voice vote. The board directed staff to negotiate contract terms, establish quarterly reporting and allow the chair to sign the agreements when ready.

Context: The awards are funded from opioid-settlement proceeds and will be administered with contractual reporting requirements. Recipients will submit quarterly reports and invoices with backup documentation as part of contract conditions.

Next steps: County staff will finalize contracts and bring them to the chair for signature once negotiations are complete.