Session 4 How can we avoid the elephant

The Hillsdale County Board of Commissioners held a session on June 2, 2026, focused on alternative pain management strategies to avoid opioid addiction. Certified nurse anesthetists from the Hillsdale Pain Clinic discussed their opioid-free approaches, including injection therapy and targeted nerve treatments, aimed at managing chronic pain without narcotics. They highlighted the evolution of pain management over the past decade, emphasizing reduced opioid prescriptions and increased use of alternative therapies such as chiropractic care, acupuncture, and regenerative medicine. The discussion also covered barriers like insurance coverage and patient stigma, as well as legislative efforts like the No Pain Act to improve access to integrative pain care. While no direct procurement or contracting decisions were made, the session underscored the importance of expanding non-opioid pain treatment options and potential future investments in innovative therapies.