Suzanne Prentice Receives the 2024 Recovery Hero Award

Northern Michigan Opioid Response Consortium (NMORC), a program developed by the Michigan Center for Rural Health, hosted the “Rural Michigan Opioid and Substance Use Summit” on July 25, 2024, at Treetops Resort in Gaylord, MI. The annual event has grown in popularity over the years in part because of the quality content provided for professionals and advocates of opioid and substance use disorder efforts across prevention, treatment, and recovery, especially for those living in rural Michigan communities. At the 2023 Summit, NMORC announced an annual “Rural Recovery Hero Award,” which would bring awareness to persons partaking in this important and lifesaving work.

This award is meant to shine a light on those who work tirelessly to reduce stigma, change cultural norms, increase access to treatment, and build a better living environment for those affected by SUD/OUD in rural Michigan. Intended to recognize a true advocate for opioid use disorder (OUD) and substance use disorder (SUD), the nominees have included people from grassroots organizations, medical and mental health professionals, and community stakeholders.

The 2024 recipient of the award is Ms. Suzanne Prentice. Hailing from Kalkaska, Ms. Prentice is the founder and coordinator of the Kalkaska coalition known as Live Well Kalkaska Substance Free Coalition. During her acceptance speech, Prentice described how a story in the local paper a decade ago prompted her work, “it was about a young person losing their life to overdose, and I couldn’t help but feel for that mom. The grief was overwhelming.”

She couldn’t shake the story. It kept coming back to her. She can still remember the moment she found clarification on her next steps, “I was driving to Traverse City going around East Bay, in tears, and I prayerfully asked out loud for some guidance – how could I, just a mom and a lone person, help other families in need?” That answer came in the form of the very next song on the radio, “Do Something” by Matthew West, which resoundingly provided the direction. Suzanne drove her car to the Third Level Crisis Center and asked what she could do to help. Through those connections, she was put in touch with Catholic Human Services, which provided guidance and some resources to help get the Kalkaska coalition going.

Prentice voluntarily began organizing and coordinating the coalition in 2014,until 2020, when she was hired by Up North Prevention, an initiative of Catholic Human Services. In 2021,Suzanneaccepted the additional position of Prevention Specialist for Kalkaska County. Suzanne is a board member of the Grand Traverse Regional Chapter of Face Addiction Now (FAN) where she also co-facilitates their Stronger Together family support group and was trained as a Hope Not Handcuffs Angel for the organization.

Suzanne is a board member of Before, During, and After Incarceration (BDAI) as well as the lead Angel for the Michigan State Police Angel Program in Kalkaska County. She isa core member of the Substance Free Coalition of Northwest Michigan, a member of the Antrim Substance Free Resource Alliance, and a member of the Reduce Stigma Against Substance use Disorders Action Team through the Northwest Michigan Community Health Innovation Region. Prentice has been CCAR trained as a Recovery Coach and ER Recovery Coach through NMSAS Recovery Center and is a Community Champion in Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).

Suzanne personally understands the struggles of families who have loved ones living with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. As a parent of a child with a co-occurring mental health condition, polysubstance use disorder, and early childhood trauma who has faced the legal system and, ultimately, incarceration, she has made it her mission and passion to help those with SUD and their families. She has also experienced the loss of two close family members to suicide. Both struggled with SUD. Suzanne believes in compassion and empathy over “tough love” and meeting people where they are at the moment. However, she does believe it is important for loved ones of those with SUD to set healthy boundaries. Suzanne believes in educating the community on the root issues of substance use to eliminate stigma connected to the condition and to make parents and the community aware of what they can do to foster resilience and lower the risk of developing a substance use disorder.

This year, Senator Gary Peters recorded a speech to open the event. He thanked the crowd and recognized that the work being done in this space is making a difference. Ms. Kelly Lively, Sen. Peters’ Northern Michigan Regional Director, presented Prentice with a Senatorial Recognition Certificate. This recognition of the event and award by one of our state’s representatives provided a special boost for all in attendance.

Please join us in congratulating Suzanne Prentice, the 2024 “Recovery Hero of the Year.”