Bloomberg Foundation committing $10 million to fight opioid crisis in Michigan

EASTPOINTE, Mich. (FOX 2) - Michigan is getting a big fat check to fight the opioid crisis.

Picked as one of 10 states to receive funding from the Bloomberg Foundation, the state money to the tune of $10 million.

"We in Michigan are awfully glad to be one of the first states to be on the front line of this work," said Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Appearing alongside Michael Bloomberg in the Eastpointe Fire Department, the announcement comes at an inflection point in the United States as individuals across the country come to grips with magnitude of the epidemic.

"Every hour, five more deaths and if that isn't a crisis, I don't know what is a crisis," said the former New York City mayor.

Michigan was ranked 8th in the nation in opioid deaths in 2017. The idea behind the massive infusion of cash is to come up with a model for tackling the problem. While the method for implementing those funds remains unclear, officials say the intention is to travel the state and gather input from those with experience dealing with opioids.

"Really bringing in the important voices, whether it's the first responders or it is the people that are in recovery," said Whitmer. 

Bloomberg said using that data, they will work at creating a system that the rest of the country can use to address the crisis.