KENT COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

August 10, 2023

Re: Letter from the Intervention Committee of The Kent County Opioid Task Force dated July 28, 2023

Dear Members of the Intervention Committee,

Thank you for sharing your concerns about accountability and transparency relative to the opioid settlement
disbursement selection process. The County recognizes that there is room for improvement in being more
transparent with this process.

Saving lives is the highest priority. As you know from recent communications from Kent County Administration
within the KCOTF forum, funding recommendations to the Board of Commissioners have not been finalized. The
county has had and will continue to have intentional engagement with community and subject matter experts such
as yourselves and welcome your suggestions on engagement going forward.

I would like to take this opportunity to address some of the items stated in your letter:
• The Kent County Health Department (KCHD) is not singularly responsible for developing the funding
recommendations to be brought before the Kent County Board of Commissioners for consideration and
approval. Numerous county departments and staff that have been involved with the opioid epidemic in
our community have been invited to weigh in on this work. The KCOTF will continue to be engaged and
the Community Health Advisory Committee will also be invited to participate. Based on the KCOTF
advice, Kent County is reaching out to other local organizations. While KCHD staff play an important
role, the funding recommendations will be finalized by County administration.
• Unlike many Michigan counties, Kent County has had a convening of subject matter experts and monthly
surveillance in place for many years. That convening – the KCOTF – has contributed to many solutions
designed to curb the opioid epidemic. The local expertise contained within the KCOTF is extraordinary.
To take advantage of that, the first step in this effort was learning the priorities of the KCOTF. Those
priorities have guided the work to date. It is our understanding that the availability of technical support
from the Michigan Association of Counties was created primarily because most counties do not have the
equivalent of the KCOTF. Delaying the disbursement of funds to have another assessment conducted by
an association external to our community would seem to unnecessarily delay fund disbursement. We do
plan to use technical assistance opportunities to evaluate the investments and can have a formal needs
assessment completed if and when it seems appropriate without delaying the use of settlement dollars.
• Harm reduction interventions have evidence-base demonstrating significant positive impact. KCHD
supports the use of harm reduction strategies alongside other evidence-based initiatives in the domains of
prevention, treatment, and recovery.
• We recognize not every priority will be funded at this time. I fully agree with your statement that it is an
ethical imperative for the settlement to be used to rectify harms caused by the defendants. The total size
of the settlement and the amount to be distributed to the county annually is substantially smaller than the
expense required to support every prioritized need and cannot possibly rectify all harms – or even most of
them. We are, however, committed to bringing the Kent County Board of Commissioners the full list of
priorities and strategies that are vital to addressing the opioid crisis. The presentation to the Board will
include advocacy for finding solutions for the unmet or underfunded priorities.
• Your suggestions for improving the transparency of the process are well received. We recognize the need
to engage a more diverse range of perspectives and to better communicate the decision-making process.
 We will continue to discuss all aspects of the opioid settlement over the course of the multi-year
distribution with the KCOTF.
Thank you, again, for sharing your concerns and for all you have done in service to the community. The
community is a much better, and safer, place because of the work of the members of the Intervention Committee.
All of us at KCHD and the County of Kent look forward to our continued work alongside of you to advance
sound policy and make Kent County a healthier place for all.

Sincerely,

Adam London, PhD, RS, DAAS

Administrative Health Officer
Kent County Health Department
(616) 632-7280
Adam.London@kentcountymi.gov