The nearly $800,000 in opioid settlement funding that the Cumberland County commissioners allocated this week will be used over the next two years to combat the county’s opioid crisis.
The funding is part of a 2021 federal settlement with opioid manufacturers that gave Cumberland County about $30 million to be used over an 18-year period.
In a 6-1 vote Monday, commissioners approved funding for four agencies that provide treatment and prevention services to Cumberland County residents: Carolina Treatment Center, Myrover-Reese Fellowship Home, North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition and Cumberland-Fayetteville Family Drug Treatment Court/Justice Services.
Here’s a breakdown of how each organization will use the money:
Carolina Treatment Center
North Carolina’s second-largest outpatient drug treatment center is now treating more than 700 patients for substance use disorders in Cumberland County, providing counseling, therapy and medication-assisted treatment and works to connect patients to resources such as health care and housing assistance.
The center will receive $200,000 over the next two years to expand and fill gaps in drug treatment for uninsured and low-insured patients. It also plans to provide housing assistance of up to two months and transportation for patients so they can remain in treatment longer.
“People in the community really need to know that the barriers have been removed for people who need treatment for opioid use disorders,” said Louis Leake, clinic director at the center.
Leake wants to use the settlement funds to focus on underserved populations.
“We are looking forward to the results that are going to be coming from this,” Leake said.
Myrover-Reese Fellowship Home
Myrover-Reese is one of the oldest halfway houses in Cumberland County. It offers drug-free rehabilitation for substance use disorders at no cost.
Dixon Soffe, chairman of its board of directors, said he plans to use the $200,000 his organization is receiving to increase the number of beds it offers to patients with opioid use disorder from five beds to as many as 20 beds per year.
Myrover-Reese’s treatment program lasts between three to six months and includes housing, meals, 12-step program access and vocational resources to help patients get on the road to recovery.
“We really try to help people rehabilitate not just in terms of their recovery, but kind of holistically,” said Soffe.
North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition
North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition is a statewide organization that advocates for justice reform for people who use opioids and other illicit drugs. Harm reduction is any program, practice or behavior that reduces harm and death associated with drug use.
Charlton Roberson, the eastern regional coordinator for the coalition, described it as “a philosophy that attempts to meet people where they are without judgment.”
He said the agency implements programs such as syringe exchanges, distribution of Fentanyl test strips and Naloxone, an overdose reversal drug.
The coalition will receive $199,990 over the next two years to assist in expanding its harm reduction outreach, as well as its Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program — a program offered in collaboration with local law enforcement designed to divert low-level drug offenders from the criminal justice system and connect them to treatment, social services, and community resources.
Roberson also plans to use the money to expand the organization’s post-overdose response team, which aims to connect people who had a recent nonfatal overdose to resources.
Cumberland Fayetteville Family Drug Treatment Court/Justice Services
The county operation is also receiving $200,000.
The court is home to a program that assists parents and guardians with substance use disorders in keeping custody of their children by enrolling in a 12- to 18-month program that includes substance use treatment, random drug testing, and parenting programs. The parent is expected to stay drug-free and work toward becoming productive upon graduation.
Officials plan to use the money to increase the number of families that can participate in the program to 15 by 2024, as well as connect a majority of families in the program to case management and other support services.
Next steps
Commissioner Jimmy Keefe on Monday voted against the allocations, lamenting the lack of educational resources for prevention of opioid use.
CTC’s Leake agreed with Keefe’s sentiment, saying, “I think there has to be some prevention and some more education across the board.”
Leake added that his organization is doing what it can to provide education but knows wider outreach is needed.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, these resources can help:
Contact Char Morrison at cmorrison@cityviewnc.com.
