Upton Hails Grant For WMU

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Western Michigan University is getting a $1.35 million federal grant to fight the opioid epidemic, and it’s partly thanks to the help of Congressman Fred Upton. He tells WSJM News the funds from the Health Resources and Services Administration will go to WMU’s Youth Prevention and Recovery from Opioid Youth Disorders program, or MY-PROUD.

“For Western, of course they’ve got a great med school that’s been in place for some time now, but they’ve got research there, too,” Upton said. “Michigan has been one of those states that has had a higher rate of opioid abuse than just about any other.”

WMU will use the grant to work with healthcare and school partners to make students and community service providers more equipped to prevent, treat, and support recovery from opioid use. The program will be focused on Calhoun, Jackson, Muskegon, and Van Buren counties. Upton says the opioid crisis has affected just about every family, including his own, in one way or another.