On a day of conflicting feelings from survivors, growing research shows how the brain reacts to ‘fight-or-flight’ instincts that can manifest themselves in guilt, anxiety and even gratitude.
Robin Erb
Robin Erb covers health care and aging for Bridge Michigan, focusing on a state that is aging faster than most. She has led investigations tracking opioid settlement money and health care worker shortages, and previously spent six years at the Detroit Free Press covering the Affordable Care Act and Michigan's Medicaid expansion. She holds a master's degree from Lourdes University in Toledo.
Robin and her husband raised two children in southeast Michigan — and have failed miserably at training their Beagle-Bassets.
Has the opioid crisis hit your family? We seek Michigan stories
Michigan is set to receive a huge influx of money to address the opioid crisis. How has the epidemic affected your family? Share your story.
Michigan county ‘hit ground running’ with opioid plan. Then came the complaints
The county moved with urgency to direct opioid settlement funds to help addicts. But subsequent disagreement highlights a tension between law enforcement and treatment that will likely be repeated statewide.
Michigan won’t know how $725M is spent on opioids help. Other states do it better
Advocates slam ‘abysmal’ transparency surrounding opiods settlement in Michigan. Unlike many other states, Michigan set up few controls over how cities, counties spend their 50% share of the money.
Michigan opioid cash sparks feeding frenzy of vendors, seeking cut of $1.5B
Local officials say there are ‘sharks in the water,’ as companies pitching everything from $7,400 vending machines to $200,000 body scanners seek contracts from the opioid settlement money coming to Michigan.
As opioid deaths mount, Michigan governments sit on millions for intervention
A landmark lawsuit settlement will pour $1.5 billion into Michigan, almost half of it directly to communities. But local governments have been slow to spend the money, and transparency questions dog efforts to fight the drug scourge.
Michigan mom sues for disability in latest U.S. legal battle over long COVID
Kelsey Warshefski, 41, said she’s suffered years of seizures, mini-strokes and fatigue. She can no longer run, work or romp with her son. She’s among a growing number of patients suing after disability claims were denied.
Michigan disbands racial equity group as tension mounts over opioid money
The state spent $148,000 on a racial equity group to offer advice on how to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in opioid settlement funds. But after issuing recommendations, the group said it was ‘silenced.’
Michigan’s $55M experiment with guaranteed income begins with Flint moms
Michigan will experiment with guaranteed income in Flint, one of its poorest cities, giving expectant and new moms $7,500 — no strings attached — to lift the stress of poverty from their newborns.
Flu, respiratory illnesses, other crud make this misery season in Michigan
Expect long wait times at doctor offices, clinics and emergency rooms, as influenza season is in full winter flower.