BERRIEN COUNTY CONTINUES OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDING DISTRIBUTION

By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent
ST. JOSEPH, MI – Berrien County’s Board of Commissioners heard the third presentation last week about how the county’s $8.2 million opioid settlement money is being spent from Sacred Heart Rehabilitation/Serenity Hills treatment center. The goal of all three programs is to help people address their drug and alcohol addictions. Commissioners also heard an update about proposed upgrades to the county’s Administration Center.
The Sacred Heart Rehabilitation/Serenity Hills treatment center is currently housed in the former Berrien General Hospital facility in Berrien Township. Sacred Heart division leader Tricia Johnson told commissioners Thursday that they will be moving later this year to a new building on the north side of Berrien Springs.
The new site is on acreage near the Edgewood Drive/Red Bud Trail intersection with M-139 just north of the U.S. 31 freeway interchange. Johnson said work on the site has already started and plans call for the $5 million new facility to be open by January, 2026. “We will continue to provide the same services,” Johnson said. “We will have 12 detoxification beds for those coming off drugs and alcohol, 28 residential beds, and an outpatient program that will also operate from that site.” Plans call for the construction of a one-story building that will have offices in the front and residential space in the back for 19-21 rooms for those getting inpatient treatment.
Johnson described Sacred Heart as a financially solid organization with sites around the state. “Sacred Heart has been in business for 55 years and been here for 10 years,” she said. “… We want to say thank you for entrusting us with these funds for three years.” She said Sacred Heart has used the first of three annual payments of $160,000 from the opioid settlement fund to hire three people and to buy a van to transport people to appointments. The people hired have been a therapist and two recovery coaches.
She noted that Sacred Heart works with a number of other entities including Corewell Health and the Riverwood Mental Health Center, as well as other organizations providing assistance with substance abuse addictions. They get some referrals from Berrien County Trial Court.
From 2023-24 Sacred Heart handled:

• 1,271 Admissions
• 817 People received treatment
• 398 Admissions for withdrawal management
• 16 Housing admissions

Education demographics include:

• 48% High school diploma or GED
• 32% College or vocational education
• 20% 11th grade or lower education

Gender, race, and ethnicity demographics include:

• 69% Men
• 31% Women
• 81% White
• 15% Black
• 4% Other

Those who come to Sacred Heart have a variety of addictions and ages:

• 44% used alcohol
• 35% cocaine or similar stimulant
• 16% opioids
• 1% marijuana
• 4% other
• 77% of clients were between the ages of 25 and 54

Commissioners heard late last month from the other two programs receiving funding: First Church of God’s Restoration House Ministry and the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office’s Medication Assisted Treatment Program.
Also discussed at last week’s county board meeting was plans to make security upgrades to the Berrien County Administration Center, housed in the former Washington School in downtown St. Joseph. The building is home to a number of county offices, as well as the county commissioner meeting room.
County Administration Committee members met with contractor Daniel Bacchiocchi of Bacchiocchi Construction, and Building and Grounds Director Don Trail. The county has contracted Bacchiocchi to handle county facility upgrades. The Administration Center upgrade has a number of goals:

• Improving public wayfinding and entranceways
• Beefing up security
• Separating public and staff areas
• Making the building more accessible

A number of elected officials who have offices in the building also met with the administration committee last week, including County Clerk Stacy Loar-Porter, County Treasurer Shelly Weich, Register of Deeds Lora Freehling and Drain Commissioner George McManus.
Committee members received materials on the different projects that can be done and how much they could cost. Cost estimates ranged from $331,000 for a basic level of work to $793,000 for the most extensive work. The basic level of work would provide passive security measures while more expensive options would add things like bullet-proof glass.
Curran asked county staff to look into the issues raised at last week’s meeting. The committee would like more information about number of visitors to building each day and a recommendation about installing panic buttons as part of improving security.