Board approves $120,000 in opioid-settlement funds for jail medication-assisted treatment

Hillsdale County commissioners voted May 26 to authorize up to $120,000 in opioid-settlement money to pay for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) at the county jail through the end of fiscal 2026.

County staff and the opioid committee recommended using Exhibit E-eligible opioid funds to pay for an injectable monthly MAT option in addition to the oral treatments the jail already provides. Staff said the injectable is administered once a month and that the invoice in the packet represents a substantial share of the jails medical budget for the year; staff estimated the injectable product currently costs roughly $230 per monthly injection. Committee members said they would review ongoing costs annually rather than authorize multi-year spending without review.

Commissioners asked about the opioid fund balance and were told receipts to date are in the several-hundred-thousand-dollar range and that projections showed an FY26 ending balance that includes prior appropriations. The board approved the budget amendment and expenditure authorization on a roll call vote recorded as five yes votes.

The resolution directs county finance staff to amend the budget line for the MAT jail program and monitor costs going forward; commissioners said they expect the committee to reassess the program and funding each year.