Pull Up Your Chair

Parker Fairbairn and Jason Woolford defeated incumbents in their Republican primaries on Tuesday night, securing their places in the House come next January. In addition to these victories, five other candidates are poised to join the House due to their primary wins in districts with no competitive General Election. This development leaves five seats where the primary winners are expected to take office.

In the 7th House District, Tonya Myers Phillips (Hamtramck), an attorney with the Sugar Law Center and political ally of House Minority Leader Abraham Aiyash, secured her victory with 66.61% of the vote. She defeated perennial candidates Ernest Little and Abraham Shaw, who received 15.84% and 16.48% of the vote, respectively. In the 33rd House District, Morgan Foreman (Ann Arbor), a staffer for Brabec, won her Democratic primary with 67% of the vote against Rima Mohammad.

Jennifer Wortz (Branch County) emerged victorious in the 35th House District, winning 52% of the vote, backed by the Farm Bureau and various PACs. Matt Longjohn (Kalamazoo) dominated the Democratic primary in the 40th House District with 70% of the vote, and Joseph Pavlov (St. Clair County) narrowly won the 64th House District with 31.82%, outpacing St. Clair County Commissioner Jorja Baldwin and former Rep. Gary Eisen. These primary victories indicate significant changes in the House's composition for the upcoming term. Rep. Weiss (Oak Park) and Speaker Joe Tate (Detroit) also won their races. Source MIRS

Top 10 Michigan House Districts Most Likely to Flip After Kamala Harris’s Nomination

With Kamala HARRIS stepping in as the Democratic presidential nominee, the political landscape for House Democrats has shifted significantly. Two months ago, the focus was on how many seats Democrats would lose. Now, there’s increasing discussion about how aggressively they should play offense, especially after the August primary results in Oakland County showed increased Democratic voter turnout in areas previously not considered competitive. This shift in momentum has resulted in an updated list of the Top 10 House Districts Most Likely to Flip:

MDHHS Director Hertel Visits Detroit Recovery Project to Discuss SUD Funding

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Director Elizabeth Hertel visited the Detroit Recovery Project (DRP) last week to highlight key budget investments addressing substance use disorder (SUD) and the opioid crisis in Michigan. The roundtable discussion focused on the FY 2025 Budget, which allocates nearly $300 million for SUD, including $190 million in federal funding, $58 million in general funding, and $48.2 million from appropriated settlement funds.

Joining Hertel were Thomas Stallworth, MDHHS senior advisor and former director of the Governor’s Coronavirus Racial Disparities Task Force, Dr. Andre Johnson, DRP president and CEO, and other community partners and advocates. Hertel emphasized that the FY 2025 budget supports a comprehensive approach to addressing SUD through primary prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support. "These initiatives support evidence-based programming to address and reduce harm associated with the opioid crisis, benefiting thousands of Michigan families," Hertel stated.

The FY 2025 budget makes significant investments to help address SUD, including:

DRP, a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), has served the Detroit community since 2005, providing integrated primary medical and behavioral health care. MDHHS funds support DRP's services, including transportation for medical appointments and essential harm reduction efforts. Stallworth highlighted Michigan's progress in reducing overdose deaths and the state's commitment to addressing disparities affecting vulnerable populations through targeted funding and support.

Michigan's New Initiative: $20K Incentive for Aspiring Child Social Workers

According to a recent article in Bridge Magazine by Robin Erb, Michigan has launched a new initiative to address the shortage of child welfare workers by offering financial incentives to social work students. The program promises up to $20,000 for students who commit to working in child welfare. Unlike traditional tuition loan forgiveness programs, this initiative provides the money directly to the students, giving them the flexibility to decide how to spend it.

The program's goal is to retain new staff during the challenging initial months of their employment. The state hopes to ease the transition into these demanding roles by providing financial support. In addition to this program, Michigan has introduced similar initiatives to attract workers in other sectors. The Behavioral Health Internship Stipend Program offers up to $15,000 for students pursuing degrees in fields related to behavioral health, such as social work, psychology, and counseling. Another program, the Bachelor of Social Work to Master of Social Work Program, provides up to $30,000 for students committed to behavioral health jobs in Michigan.

Despite these financial incentives, the field of social work remains challenging. Starting salaries for bachelor’s-level social workers employed by the state range from $50,000 to nearly $69,000, accompanied by government benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off. These positions also offer the opportunity to make significant, life-saving decisions for individuals in crisis. However, whether these incentives will be enough to retain workers after fulfilling their time commitment remains to be seen.

States Explore Mobile Solutions for Drug Harm Reduction

In response to the ongoing opioid crisis, several states are considering implementing supervised injection sites where individuals can use illicit drugs under the supervision of trained staff with access to sterile equipment. Keith Humphreys, a Stanford University professor, addressed the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) last week, highlighting the limited impact of brick-and-mortar facilities. Humphreys, who has previously advised the White House Commission on Drug-Free Communities, proposed a mobile hotline as a more effective alternative.

According to the National Library of Medicine, there are 90 supervised injection sites worldwide, primarily in Europe, Canada, and Australia. The first U.S. site was established in New York City in 2021, with Rhode Island authorizing similar sites later that year. Vermont also attempted to pass injection site legislation in 2024, but the bill was vetoed by Governor Phil Scott. Humphreys pointed out the significant advantage of these sites: over 40 years, only a handful of people have died using drugs at these facilities, making them one of the safest places to use drugs. However, their geographical limitations hinder their broader impact.

Humphreys suggested that mobile solutions could provide more comprehensive coverage and greater effectiveness. He cited Canada’s national toll-free phone line as an example, where individuals can receive advice and emergency services if needed. Such innovations, he argued, could reach a more significant portion of the population. With the potential for 1.2 million opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. and Canada over the next decade, Humphreys emphasized the need for creative use of opioid settlement funds. He advocated for investments in areas lacking existing funding streams, such as new clinics for specific opioid addictions, rather than duplicating efforts already supported by other funding sources.

Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network Collaborates with BetterDoctor® for Provider Directory Accuracy

The Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN) is partnering with BetterDoctor® to enhance the accuracy of information in provider directories.

Press Release: AG Nessel Renews Call For Local Units to Participate in Kroger Settlement – The deadline for local governments and counties to register to receive funds from the $1.2 billion National Kroger Settlement is August 12. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is encouraging municipalities not yet joined the settlement to complete and submit their participation forms by Monday. The settlement will bring nearly $42 million to Michigan governments over 11 years to help address the opioid crisis.

Former autism treatment center director pleads guilty to nine felony counts, Crains Detroit Business *Paywall

In Michigan’s vast UP, finding help for drugs is hard. So is finding solutions, Bridge Magazine - 08/06/2024, By Ron French — Born in the Upper Peninsula, Greg Toutant is accustomed to the miles of empty highway lined by pine trees and the occasional pasty shop. He finds beauty in the solitude of the roads he travels between the far-flung outposts of the Great Lakes Recovery Centers.

Press Release: Michigan celebrates first-ever national ‘ABLE Savings Day’ to raise awareness for people with disabilities and their families

LEGISLATIVE + CANDIDATE FOCUS

We profile legislators and candidates each week. This week, we encourage you to learn more about Morgan Foreman (33rd House District, Ann Arbor), a staffer for Brabec who won her Democratic primary with 67% of the vote against Rima Mohammad. She is likely to win the general election and perhaps likely to pick up some of the issues left behind in Rep. Brabec’s absence.

If you have an event you want to share, please get in touch with Daniel Cherrin.

*_{Articles were generated with AI and reviewed by the human eye.}