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Impact Summary 2023–2024

Updated: Apr 21


“The Central Michigan Recovery and Education Network (CMREN) at Ferris State University, backed by a $1.2M federal grant through 2027, is building a sustainable recovery ecosystem across five counties. Partnering with 34 agencies, we’re tackling stigma and critical social determinants of health to support those in need—especially pregnant individuals, veterans, the unhoused, and the recently incarcerated.”

— Gail Bullard DHEd, MSA, RN

CMREN Project Director



Community Service Projects



An Evening With Taylor Duerr

Wednesday, April 19 and Thursday, April 20 were special days for the CMREN Community, as we hosted Taylor Duerr, a national award-winning boxer from Detroit, MI and the showing of his documentary 'We Can Be Heroes'. Tim Rabolt, of JBS International has a rich background at the national and federal levels working with Collegiate Recovery in higher education hosted a panel discussion with FSU students Cj Crabtree, Jordan Hiltunen, Aubrey Barwick, and MiKayla Althoff.


Kendall College of Art and Design students created artwork specific to the event. Special guests at the event included Anthony A.J. Ernst, of JBS International, and Mike Ramsdell, of Under the Hood Productions. See full bios for Taylor Duerr and Tim Rabolt, along with descriptions of the artists' works and a list of program supporters.



Campus Education Events, 2023–2024

We strive to train future workforce regarding Substance Use Disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery. through training Ferris State students, faculty, and staff. We visit classrooms, and train resident hall student leadership and staff, library staff, student learning assistant workers and staff, and health center staff.  We train students in tabling events throughout the academic year and in special events, such as deliberative dialogues and other fun events such as a game night, all of which include Narcan and at-home-medication disposal training. 

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July 2023 through March 2024 we trained the following groups:

  • Sponsored an FSU pharmacy student to attend the AUPhA SUD conference, March 2024

  • Provided NARCAN training to 6 students and 2 faculty in Williams Auditorium on February 23, 2024.

  • FSU AUPhA student group provided training on-campus February 22, 2024.

  • Provided list of open access NARCAN distribution site to the FSU School of Nursing week of February 28, 2024.

  • Provided NARCAN training materials to Big Rapids EMT for in-school trainings in the Mecosta/Osceola intermediate schools. Feb. 2024


Programs & Events



Talk, They Hear You Campaign

In Summer of 2023, CMREN partnered with this SAMHSA National Awareness initiative placing eleven billboards across Mecosta, Osceola, and Newaygo Counties with educational messages regarding how parents, children, teens, and young adults can have conversation regarding substance use, including alcohol misuse. The billboards had 2,138,757 impressions, defined as duplicated views by passerbys determined by visibility, height, and illumination.


In addition, CMREN ran nine different 60-second Public Service Announcements across three local radio stations for three months. The results - 1,715 radio announcements with an average listening audience of 30,000 listeners. 



Economic Impact

The calculated economic impact for the HRSA-RCORPI -II funding of CMREN for the 2021-2022 grant year cycle is 2.012


Accomplishments include, but are not limited to:

  • Refinement of CMREN-RHND mission, vision, and values statements.

  • Collaborative development of both a four-year strategic plan and a four-year evaluation plan.

  • Needs Analysis: Recovery Ecosystem needs analysis completed with top needs identified as transportation, housing, and access to care. Related subcommittees formed with monthly meetings conducted last half of the year.

  • Newsletter and website updated to demonstrate Recovery Ecosystem focus.

  • Addition of Lake County to the CMREN region, at the request of current partners.

  • Community Engagement: Hosted two community conversations with 50+ attendees at each event (October and May).

  • Lived Experience Stories: Ten lived experience stories recorded in collaboration with the FSU Media Team of Wes Thompson and Jeff Gabalis, shared in community Art Shows, training, newsletters, and websites.

  • Media Outreach: 2,252,800 media touchpoints since July 1, 2023 – Radio PSAs, newsletters, website, and stories.

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This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1,200,000 with zero percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

Ferris State University

200 Ferris Drive, VFS 403 Big Rapids, MI 49307    cmren@ferris.edu

Design and Development Ferris State University Design Project Center 2025

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