Munson Healthcare and the Regional Community Health Opioid Initiative

Munson Healthcare (MHC) is advancing the health of Northern Michigan communities through the Regional Community Health Opioid Initiative, which offers resources for Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery. This includes efforts to address stigma, ensure safe prescribing and educate both patients and providers. The initiative improves access to treatment by providing on-demand resources in the emergency and inpatient setting while reducing SUD-related medical complications through offerings like take-home naloxone for at-risk individuals. The health system also focuses on fostering community partnerships; implementing stigma reduction campaigns, staff education and peer recovery coaching; expanding harm reduction and enhancing suicide prevention efforts. 

“We had one patient come to us two years ago who was battling opioid use disorder following a major surgery that led to longterm prescription and illicit drug use,” said Hannah Popa, MSN, APRN, FNP-C at Munson. “With the desire for a more stable life, he sought help from one of our clinics and utilized Medication for Opioid Use Disorder. In a recent follow-up, he shared how well he was doing in his recovery – working on a healthy diet, exercising, managing his pain to the point that he felt like his pre-injury self, and working in a job that he loves. He told us how much his quality of life has improved since seeking treatment and thanked us for the work that we do. That’s just one example of the strong impact this initiative has on the residents and communities we serve.”