This news item expired on Saturday, November 19, 2022 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
On Tuesday, April 19, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved a budget amendment of $621,438, the first allocation of funds from a recent national opioid settlement.
Additional funds will be received and expended over an 18-year period in accordance with the Memorandum of Agreement between the State of North Carolina and Local Governments on Proceedings Related to the Settlement of Opioid Litigation totaling $16,175,039 for the County.
These funds can be used to create, expand, or sustain programs or services that serve persons with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) or any co-occurring Substance Use Disorder (SUD) or mental health conditions. Funded programs or services may include evidence-based addiction treatment, recovery support services, recovery housing support, employment-related services, early intervention, Naloxone distributions, post-overdose response team, syringe service program, criminal justice diversion programs, addiction treatment for incarcerated persons, and/or reentry programs.
Buncombe County Behavioral Health Manager Victoria Reichard provided an update on the County’s current interventions and post-ventions for individuals suffering from Opioid Use Disorder, along with an update on the activities of the Behavioral Health Justice Collaborative. Click here to view that presentation.
For more information, including North Carolina's opioid settlement dashboard, go to https://ncopioidsettlement.org.