Substance use disorder is one of the most underestimated barriers to a healthy economy. It pulls talented people out of the workforce, destabilizes the families that anchor our communities, and places mounting strain on employers and healthcare systems alike. For a region focused on workforce attraction and retention, treatment access isn’t just a health issue — it’s an economic imperative.
Niles now has an answer close to home. In March 2025, the Corewell Health Foundation Southwest Michigan opened the Substance Use Treatment and Education Center (SUTEC), Greater Niles’ first outpatient addiction medicine facility, delivering comprehensive addiction care rooted in empathy and understanding. In just over a year, the center has served more than 200 individuals.
A Strategic Investment
Recognizing the center’s direct connection to workforce readiness and regional competitiveness, the Greater Niles Chamber recently invested $50,000 with the Corewell Health Foundation Southwest Michigan to expand services at SUTEC — an investment formally presented at the 2026 Chamber Pulse Luncheon in June.
The Chamber’s investment will help embed a full-time peer recovery coach, expand harm reduction services, and strengthen integrated care at the center. Each of those outcomes translates directly into economic terms: more people returning to work, more families gaining stability, and more employers able to retain and recover valued team members.
“When we help people recover, we view it as we’re not just changing individual lives or rebuilding a talent pipeline — we are strengthening our businesses and investing in long-term vitality here in Niles,” said Arthur Havlicek, President & CEO of the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber. “For the Greater Niles Chamber, this is what holistic economic development looks like in practice.”
People, Not Statistics
Dr. Melinda Gruber, President of the Corewell Health Foundation Southwest Michigan, accepted the investment at the Pulse Luncheon, saying she was honored to “be a catalyst for saving lives and changing lives in the Greater Niles Area.”
Dr. Gruber then introduced Dr. Max Schaefer, DO, whose vision shaped the center from the beginning.
“I think when you watch the news and see stories about addiction medicine, it can seem like it’s somewhere else, or that there’s some invisible boogeyman that we’re all fighting. That’s not really what it is,” Dr. Schaefer said. “People with addiction are just that — they’re people. They’re family, coworkers, and people in our community.
“We genuinely care about the people in this community,” Schaefer added. “[These funds] help us ensure that anybody who’s interested in getting into recovery has access to it.”
What It Signals for the Region
The investment builds on Corewell Health’s broader commitment to the Niles campus and reflects a larger shift in how Southwest Michigan approaches economic development — one where chambers act not only as advocates for business, but as investors in the conditions that allow businesses and workers to thrive.
A community where recovery is accessible is a community where the workforce is stronger, families are more stable, and employers can grow with confidence.
In Greater Niles, that future is being built one partnership — and one person — at a time.
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