The Berrien County Health Department is seeking funding from the state to help run a harm reduction program, intended to reduce overdoses and encourage people to seek recovery.
Speaking to the county board of commissioners on Thursday, Berrien County Health Officer Guy Miller said the initiative would include the establishment of a syringe service program to help those using injectable substances to be safer and seek help. He said the numbers have shown SSPs are effective.
“New people who are into this syringe service program or the harm reduction program are five times more likely to enter drug treatment and three times more likely to stop using drugs than those who do not enter a program,” Miller said.
Miller added the programs have been shown to reduce HIV rates by 50%. The new harm reduction program would also partner with substance abuse clinics to provide warm handoffs, referrals, and incentives for treatment. He said Corewell Health would be a major partner.
“In our partnership with Corewell, we would bring access to harm reduction services, referral to treatment, disease testing, Narcan, syringe service, as well as wound care. This can be a two-year and is intended to be a two-year pilot program.”
Miller said the rate of injectable drug use in Berrien County is highest in Benton Harbor and Niles, and those would be the areas of focus. The health department would use a Corewell facility in Niles once per week to provide harm reduction services.
A resolution authorizing the Berrien County Health Department to seek funding for the program from the state will be coming to the board of commissioners next week. Miller said there would be no match required from the county.
