MSU student Hermance Akono writes the survivors names, and the words "Thank You" in the color teal to represent sexual assault awareness on The Rock on Jan. 25, 2018. (Charles Benoit | The State News)
Michigan State established an intermediate healing fund to provide support counseling to survivors of ex-MSU doctor Larry Nassar's abuse.
This long-awaited announcement follows the discontinuation of the original healing fund in December 2018. Interim President John Engler, who has since resigned from his position, eliminated the $10 million fund established in December 2017.
The fund was frozen in July 2018 amid an investigation into fraud. MSU Police are continuing this investigation.
Commonwealth Mediation and Conciliation Inc. is serving as the administrator for the intermediate fund, same as the original fund, but a new staff has been assigned. Providers for this fund will be required to sign an affidavit saying they are licensed in the same state they do business and treatment was related to Nassar's sexual abuse.
This fund has the same eligibility as the original healing fund. MSU health clinic patients and student athletes who Nassar abused are eligible, as well as their parents.
The goal of the new fund is to offer support until a permanent solution can be worked out, said MSU Board of Trustees Chairperson Dianne Byrum.
“We feel we learned a great deal since the identification of alleged fraud in the original fund and are confident we can move forward with an intermediate fund in a manner that supports survivors while reducing the risk of fraud,” Byrum said in a press release from the university.
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