Michigan COSSAP Application

The Michigan State Police (MSP), in partnership with the University of Michigan and multiple local law enforcement, community mental health, and harm reduction agencies is applying for funding to implement innovative substance use disorder programs throughout the state. The COSSAP strategy is to build upon the successful work in Michigan through federal grant programs such as the Overdose Fatality Review and the COPS Anti-Heroin Task Force grants managed by the MSP. The overall aim of this grant is to reduce the impact of drug overdose fatalities through comprehensive, collaborative, and innovative community prevention programs.      

Michigan is not immune to the drug overdose epidemic. From 1999-2016, Michigan experienced a 17-fold increase in the total number of drug-related deaths from 99 to 2,591, with a rate of 26 deaths per 100,000 persons compared to the national rate of 20.7 deaths per 100,000. Additionally, after a slight decrease in the death rate in 2019, an increase of 12.7% was seen in overdose deaths from January-August of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which increased social isolation and disrupted health care systems utilized by people who use drugs.  The MSP will provide subawards to multiple community agencies in seven counties (Genesee, Grand Traverse, Kent, Lake, Muskegon, Newaygo, and Shiawassee) across Michigan who have not previously received BJA funding to develop and expand their overdose prevention programs. These Counties are a mix of rural and urban that have experienced a high overdose burden, have limited access and resources to substance use treatment services compared to other counties in the state, and are ready to implement their programs within the required time frame of the grant. Strategies included in the COSSAP application include new development and expansion of quick response teams, law enforcement embedded social workers, jail-based medicated-assisted treatment with recovery coaches, law enforcement assisted diversion, naloxone for first responders, and drug checking sites. The implementation of drug checking sites will be the first program in Michigan to pilot these innovative services to people who use drugs.   A multidisciplinary approach is needed to reduce the rate of overdoses and the racial/ethnic disparities in overdose mortality to help families and communities heal and recover. The MSP will partner with multiple local agencies to ensure these federal funds are used in the most effective and efficient manner, as well as ensure there is no duplication of funding.