November 24, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
DeKalb and other county governments across the state will now be able to help their communities in the ongoing opioid crisis that has affected them in recent years with funds awarded the state from lawsuit settlements.
DeKalb County has received $119,163 in restricted funds and $99,470 in unrestricted money from a trust fund set up by the state for a total of $225,647.
All 95 Tennessee counties have received a share of more than $31.4 million in payments from the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council, which began processing the direct payments from the Opioid Abatement Trust Fund to county governments earlier this year.
County Mayor Matt Adcock, during Tuesday’s committee meeting of the whole, informed the county commission that funds from DeKalb County’s allotment of money can be made available to eligible agencies in DeKalb County who have requested funding. During Monday night’s monthly meeting, the county commission will consider allocating a portion of $146,701 to the agencies who have made requests.
“Agencies in DeKalb County were asked to submit a request for how much funding from the county’s opioid settlement funding they wished to receive to support their programs,” said County Mayor Adcock. “All of these agencies have expressed what they would like to use the funds for and how much is needed to successfully bring to fruition or continuation of their programs. DeKalb County has received $119,163 of restricted opioid settlement funds that must meet the criteria of the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council’s remediation list. Unrestricted funds of the opioid abatement settlement funding totals to an amount of $99,470. The total amount of restricted and unrestricted funding is $218,634”, said Adcock.
The agencies making funding requests and the amounts are as follows:
Sheriff’s Department’s DARE Program: $10,000
Youth and Family Resources Network (Spot Program) $22,440
DeKalb Prevention Coalition $54,261
Recovery Court $60,000
Total: $146,701
County leaders are able to select activities for these funds from a list approved by the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council. Approved uses include a continuation of opioid use disorder treatment programs, medication assisted treatment, recovery supports, and prevention measures.
Tennessee’s Opioid Abatement Council was created by the Tennessee General Assembly in Public Chapter 491 to manage the disbursement of proceeds from lawsuits relating to opioids. The Council upholds the responsibility to ensure the disbursements of these funds go toward funding programs, strategies, expenditures, and other actions designed to prevent and address the misuse and abuse of opioid products and treat or mitigate opioid use or related disorders or other effects of the opioid epidemic.