Michigan has launched a program focused on addiction recovery that seeks to curb the opioid epidemic in the state. Lt. Gov. Calley on Thursday announced the start of the state's first Opioid Health Home program. It's available for people on Medicaid in the northern 21 counties of the Lower Peninsula. The program coordinates health and social services that typically aren't eligible for Medicaid reimbursement. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services gave the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services approval to implement the program.
Earlier this month, Michigan reported opioid deaths jumped by about 9 percent last year . Other efforts to combat the epidemic include providing online resources for patients, health workers and communities; and an automated prescription system aimed at improving assessments of a patient's substance abuse risk.