The opioid epidemic — the single deadliest drug epidemic in U.S. history — affects Michiganders across all races and socioeconomic sectors in both urban and rural communities, from youth to older adults. According to the University of Michigan Opioid Research Institute, opioid overdose deaths have grown tenfold in Michigan since 2000. In 2018, more Michiganders died from drug overdoses than car accidents.
People get their hands on opioids when they are prescribed to relieve pain or by illegally purchasing them on the streets. Thousands of Michiganders live — and die from— with opioid use disorder. Both the disorder and the deaths caused take a harsh toll on families, friends, and communities.
One way the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is addressing the opioid abuse epidemic is through opioid health homes. Not a place to live, these homes are actually a central point of contact where people living with opioid use disorder work with an interdisciplinary provider team to develop an individualized recovery care plan. Peer recovery coaches and community health workers address each patient’s individual health and social needs. Participation is voluntary, and patients can opt out at any time.