Macon County has multiple options for spending its opioid settlement funding, as explained during the Macon County Board of Commissioners meeting on May 14.
Russ Harris, director of the Southwest Commission, spoke about what they have done in planning how to use the opioid funding in the 10 counties of Western North Carolina.
In total, Macon County will receive $3.4 million over 18 years. According to Finance Director Lori Carpenter, Macon already has $1,214,904, with more than $35,560 in interest.
Harris spoke on the process, including hiring Omni Institute to conduct a study. Harris said the strength and needs assessment report is complete, strategic planning and implementation planning is in progress, core client team and internal team meetings are ongoing, and currently, SWC and Omni are holding county-level strategic planning meetings and drafting a region-level strategic plan document. Harris said SWC and Omni aim to wrap up their reports in July.
“It may not feel like it all the time, but Macon County is a little bit ahead of some of the other counties in terms of having options for people to get help,” Harris said.
Harris presented two options for county-level strategies and use of funds. Option A, Harris explained, is a “higher-level, shorter list of 12 high-impact strategies.” Option B would have additional strategies to select from.
So far, 58 of 65 local governments have decided to go with Option A. Harris said larger counties with more resources are picking Option B. He said one WNC government wanted to go with Option B but were talked out of it by the state.
“Option A is a much lighter lift…it’s proven strategies. If you go with Option B, you got to do a little more proving what you want to do works,” Harris said.
The 12 high-impact strategies in Option A are collaborative strategic planning, evidence-based addiction treatment, recovery support services, recovery housing support, employment-related services, early intervention, naloxone distribution, post-overdose response team, syringe service program, criminal justice diversion programs, addiction treatment for incarcerated persons and reentry programs.
Harris said the top three regional needs are recovery support services, establishing a post-overdose response team and naloxone distribution.
Harris didn’t present the entire Option B list, saying it’s more “out of the box” and a five-page list.
Board Chair Gary Shields said he and County Manager Derek Roland looked at these options and are leaning toward Option A.
During the discussion, Macon County Sheriff Brent Holbrooks said that he nor “the folks on the front lines of this” have been included in these meetings.
“I see this firsthand daily, so does Sheila [Jenkins of No Wrong Door], so does Men’s Challenge of the Smokies, we need to take those folks into consideration as well,” Holbrooks said. “My two cents, if you go regional, you’re backing up, you might as well take the $3 million, take it to the Little Tennessee River and let it be fed to Mr. Penland’s fish.”
Harris said he contacted the Macon County Sheriff’s Office by phone and email, which Holbrooks disputed, stating they had a 30-second conversation two weeks ago. After a brief back and forth, Shields said it was his fault for not including the sheriff in these meetings.
Elke Kennedy, grandmother of Gracie Parker who spoke during public comment thanking everyone for supporting Youth Mental Health Day, said she’s looked at the two options and said Option B has more spots for youth intervention and that it has an intervention piece.
“I understand there’s more work, but our children deserve it,” Kennedy said of Option B. Harris said a county could mix parts of both plans.
Shields brought up the school ESSER funding expiring and the need to fund trauma counselors in schools, which has been one of Parker’s rallying points.
Commissioner John Shearl said he felt discussions were getting them nowhere, speaking on how they need the family unit to be a pillar in the home, and how he believes the master plan for the Macon County Recreation Park on Georgia Road can bring families together. Commissioner Danny Antoine said investing in young people is better than them ending up in jail, and said he believes that love will do what no drug can do.
Shields talked about the importance of the quarter-of-a-cent sales tax increase referendum in November and said the money can help keep trauma counselors in schools and help y