Detroit, MI
Detroit Opioid Quick Response Team on the call to help those struggling with drug addiction
Team helping Metro Detroit residents struggling with drug addiction
Members of the Detroit Opioid Quick Response Team check in on Carol Bowie, one of the patients they’ve been working with who says she’s been struggling to kick heroin, something used to treat her pain.
430 people in Detroit died from opioid overdoses in 2023, and the Detroit Opioid Quick Response Team has been working hard to reduce the statistics. They’ve only been up and running for about three months now.
On Thursday, members went around making some house calls, checking in on the patients they’ve been working with, including a woman named Carol Bowie, who says she’s been struggling to kick heroin, which she uses to help treat her pain.
“I have a heart condition and kidney failure, but they have come over regularly and checked on me and try to, you know, help me not use anymore, and that’s my main goal,” Bowie said.
It’s been a little over three months since the Quick Response Team got up and running, putting boots on the ground to help those harmed by the scourge of addiction.
Now they’re talking about the gains they’ve made in the name of saving lives.
“Well, it’s really busy. We’re obviously touching a very vulnerable population,” said Executive Director Linda Davis. “We’ve made over 800 calls during that period of time.”
They have connected nearly 50 people to help with the number of resources available.
“Either getting them to an in-patient treatment, outpatient treatment, connecting them with a peer recovery coach that’s able to help them navigate recovery within their community, so there’s multiple parts to that,” said Davis.
The team took FOX 2 behind the scenes, showing us how they approach their daily work.
“Our day looks like going to visit our high priorities first – people who came in with an OD, within the last two days,” said Thomas Hunter with the Detroit Opioid Quick Response Team. “And we’ll follow up to see if we can offer them services.”
EMTs say the rapid response operation has been a big help to them given the limited resources they can offer when it comes to major addiction struggles and the frustration of seeing the same patients over and over again on overdose calls.
“We had identified a clear gap, particularly in patients that had an overdose, interacted with EMS and then refused to seek any further care,” said Detroit Medical Director Robert Dunne. “They wouldn’t go to the hospital, and we didn’t really have any other options for those patients, so that was one of the first things that we identified and what we’re doing now is getting this quick response team in front of those patients so they can get cared for.”
It’s that first connection that can lead to long-term change.
“A conversation is the beginning of recovery,” said Davis. “If you can have a positive conversation with someone, they’re willing to listen, that can be the first step to recovery.”
For Carol, she’s well on her way to the right support.
“They help me to get to my doctors on my phone because I didn’t know how to do that,” Bowie said. “They come and check on me all the time, mostly.”
Those on the team say so far, they’ve connected around 50 people with resources to help with their addictions. They prioritize those who have had recent overdoses.
Detroit, MI
Detroit Lions announces 2025 Inspire Change Changemaker Nominee for making a difference in their community
DETROIT – Today, Alycia Meriweather has been announced as the Detroit Lions 2025 Inspire Change Changemaker – an annual award given to local leaders who are making a difference in their community across the NFL’s Inspire Change initiatives four pillars of education, economic advancement, police-community relations or criminal justice reform.
Meriweather is the Deputy Superintendent of External Partnerships and Innovation for the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) and has been making a difference in the community for over 20 years.
As a Detroit native, she has dedicated her life and profession to education. Her career at DPSCD has included the positions of lead teacher, Executive Director for the Office of Science Education, the Director of the Detroit Mathematics and Science Center, Executive Director for the Office of Curriculum, and Interim Superintendent. With each role, she combines a deep understanding of traditional education with creative approaches to meet the diverse needs of students and teachers.
In 2023, Meriweather partnered with the Detroit Lions to organize a CPR/AED training for 400 DPSCD faculty members at Ford Field and provide 30 training kits to DPSCD facilities for continuous training of staff and students. She also coordinated DPSCD’s involvement in the 2024 NFL Draft, giving over 2,000 local students unique opportunities throughout the week in Detroit.
Through mentorship, Meriweather has inspired lifelong resilience and success in her students, often going above and beyond, including taking students into her home for periods of time while their families worked through housing and financial problems.
Meriweather will be recognized at the Detroit Lions Inspire Change game on Dec. 15 for her extraordinary work in pursuit of social justice. She will also receive a $10,000 donation from the NFL Foundation, paid directly to a non-profit organization of her choice.
“We are proud to announce Alycia Meriweather as the Detroit Lions 2025 Inspire Change Changemaker,” said Detroit Lions Vice President of Detroit Lions Foundation and Community Relations Roxanne Caine. “Throughout her career, she has been an invaluable partner to our club. Her passion and dedication to promoting equitable education and creating unique learning experiences for Detroit teachers and students perfectly embodies the spirit of the Inspire Change Changemaker award.”
“It is an incredible honor to be selected by the Detroit Lions as their Inspire Change Changemaker of the year,” said Meriweather. “I represent all of the Changemakers in the Detroit Public Schools Community District – our students, teachers, parents, staff and administrators who work hard every day to create better opportunities and outcomes for young people in the City of Detroit.”
“This year’s Changemakers have shown exceptional commitment and fervor in championing social justice,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “Their remarkable stories and commitment to giving back should inspire all of us to do more. The NFL and its clubs are proud to congratulate and thank these individuals for their unwavering dedication to making a difference.”
For more information on Inspire Change and the Changemaker Award, visit NFL.com/Changemakers.
Detroit, MI
Metro Detroit nonprofit hits the streets to help unhoused individuals amid cold temperatures
(CBS DETROIT) — As we approach freezing temperatures, some local nonprofits are trying to get people off the streets and into the heat.
“Put your feet underneath there,” Stephanie Taylor said as she helped someone cover themselves with a blanket.
Taylor is Covenant House Michigan’s outreach manager. She travels around the area searching for people battling homelessness.
“This weather will kill you, you can’t be out here trying to sleep in this weather,” Taylor told CBS News Detroit.
Covenant House typically helps young adults under 24, but as needs grow, it doesn’t turn away others who seek care.
“If you are out here and want to go to a warming center we will be out there to help you,” Taylor said.
Taylor likes to live by the motto ” Helping those who need it.” She knows the streets can be dangerous, and that motivates her to serve.
She asked one unhoused woman, “You ready to come with me?”
The woman responded, “No.”
While some aren’t as willing to get out of the cold others are. Stephanie introduced CBS News Detroit to a pregnant teen, she recently helped. The teen had been sleeping in Downtown Detroit at a bus stop.
“I felt scared, and I felt like, what if my body can’t take being in this cold? What if I hurt my child,” Shade Evans said.
According to Evans, she’s now in another facility with stable living conditions. It’s been a few weeks, but now, at seven months pregnant, she’s rebuilding her life.
“Like the only thing you can turn to is drugs or selling your body, or being owned…it feels like there’s no option for you,” she said.
Covenant House sees at least 15 people needing help per day, and those numbers can rise the colder it gets.
“So many struggle with mental health and substance abuse, and a lot of them do not have enough money for rent, and it’s really sad,” Taylor said.
According to the city of Detroit, over 6,000 people experienced homelessness in 2022. With blankets and snacks in tow, the outreach team looks to help
“We need more affordable housing for the young people but we also need to make sure they get good education and getting some training so they can really make a living,” Taylor said.
DETROIT (FOX 2) – Areas around Detroit could see up to an inch of snow accumulation on the sidewalks. Snow squalls will be at their most likely Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
This can lead to slick conditions for drivers who are traveling on Wednesday night.
According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, major slowdowns can be seen in the northwestern part of metro Detroit going up into Flint, with US-23, I-94 and I-96 showing impact.
MDOT says there are crashes already being reported on I-94, with WB I-94 at Jackson Ave Exit being closed due to a crash near Ann Arbor.
Live traffic map:
The National Weather Service is anticipating arctic air to move in later tonight. The wind chill will make things feel below zero degrees in most of the region, including as far north as Lapeer and Flint, as well as out west in Washtenaw County.
Detroit will feel like 4 degrees.
There will also be wind gusts later Wednesday afternoon.
The next weather system is expected to arrive this weekend.
Crash updates:
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