LANSING, Mich. – Michigan is using data to score counties across the state and track vulnerability to harm from substance use.
Michigan is expected to receive around $800 million over a period of 18 years as part of a $26 billion nationwide settlement with three pharmaceutical distributors. Officials said 50% of the settlement will be sent directly to county and local governments in the state.
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The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) launched the Michigan Substance Use Vulnerability Index (MI-SUVI) to support equitable decision-making for spending the money from the settlement.
Until now, overdose mortality data was the only data used to identify areas with higher substance use. Using mortality data means a community’s access to resources, the impact of nonfatal overdoses or other social aspects were not factored in.
The new method looks at access to services, social vulnerability and substance use burden to create a county-level vulnerability score. That score, or index, indicates which communities are more vulnerable to substance use.
“We know substance use disorder programming is most effective when it is community-focused and data-driven,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive. “However, measuring the community impact of substance use is complicated, and no single indicator reflects its true impact. MI-SUVI is an innovative tool for communities to address the opioid crisis and other substance use disorder issues they specifically face. With the disbursement of opioid settlement funds across Michigan, we foresee the index playing a vital role in facilitating community conversations and developing targeted efforts to assist vulnerable individuals.”
Read: How to find treatment for substance use disorder, harm reduction services in Michigan
Data finds Michigan’s most vulnerable counties
The data in MI-SUVI offers an overview of each county, scorecards and the ability to compare data. Subcounty information is expected to be added later.
According to the data, Michigan’s most vulnerable counties are Oscoda, Wayne, Clare, Schoolcraft and Oceana counties. Those counties may not have the highest fatal overdose rates, but some counties have fewer resources and a higher social vulnerability score.
That makes them more susceptible to adverse outcomes from substance use.
“As the Luce-Mackinac-Alger-Schoolcraft District Health Department continues to address the opioid crisis, the availability of the Michigan Substance Use Vulnerability Index will assist us in moving our harm reduction and Eastern Upper Peninsula Opioid Response Consortium work forward and addressing gaps and vulnerabilities to bolster our efforts,” said Nick Derusha, director and health officer of the LMAS District Health Department.
A map showing the MI-SUVI results is below. You can find a more detailed map and more information at Michigan.gov/opioids.