The Berrien County Board of Commissioners has voted to accept $91,000 in funding from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for a new harm reduction program at the health department.

County Health Officer Guy Miller tells us the state identified Berrien as an area it wants to focus on because the county is in the top ten in Michigan for HIV infections and has a significant overdose problem in recent years. The harm reduction funds will be used by the health department to specifically address substance abuse and related infections, like HIV and hepatitis C.

Miller says the department will leverage a partnership with Corewell Health to address the issues.

“ They have a substance use disorder education department,” Miller said. “ Their main location

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