On a cold evening in February of 2021, social worker Erin Clark listened intently as a Face Addiction Now team member shared her story and her passionate involvement in FAN.

Following the event, Erin spoke with a member of the Central Michigan Recovery and Education Network (CMREN), host for the event. She inquired why there was not a local FAN chapter, as she saw such a need in her line of work. CMREN, a HRSA RCORP-I-funded coalition, had plans to start a local FAN chapter if community interest embraced the concept.  Learning this, Erin approached her employer, Community Mental Health – Central Michigan; with their support, plans for the Mecosta-Osceola FAN chapter began. Erin remains active, championing the focus as the inaugural president of the Mecosta-Osceola FAN Chapter. Under her leadership, the chapter has grown to include community members from a wide variety of organizations. The FAN chapter will help the community through services that support recovery, peer and family coaching, programs such as Hope Not Handcuffs, and community education. All services and opportunities focus on reducing stigma and supporting the needs of those with substance use disorder, their families, and friends.