A 10-year-old who has rallied to keep trauma counselors in schools is now asking Macon County leaders to dedicate opioid settlement funding for affected kids.
Gracie Parker spoke to the Macon County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 8. During the past year, Gracie has spoken at public meetings and shared that she lost her mom to opioids, her dad is in and out of jail, and she lives with her grandparents. She has campaigned for Macon County Schools to keep its trauma counselors once the federal money which funds those positions runs out in 2024.
This night, Grace implored the county to use at least 20% of its opioid settlement funding for youth mental health programs, trauma counselors in all schools and opioid orphans.
“This is an area that is currently completely overlooked and lacks the funding to provide the help they need now, as well as continue and improve programs for kids 13-18,” Gracie said. “We request a clear overview and breakdown on who this money will go to and specific details on how it will be spent.”
Gracie is sending a letter with the same request to N.C. Sen. Kevin Corbin, N.C. DHHS Secretary Cody Kinsley, U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards and N.C. Child Director Tiffany Gladley. She is speaking in Washington, D.C., in September to congressional legislators on the subject.
Answering Gracie’s question about when she will get an answer, County Manager Derek Roland talked about how the Southwestern Commission is currently working on that.
“They’ve hired a consultant that came in and what they’re doing is pulling all the counties together and getting input as the best way to use these monies. And they’re going to bring these suggestions back to the board of commissioners,” Roland said.
Opioid lawsuit funding, which will be paid to the counties in annual amounts for the next nearly two decades, requires a submitted written plan.
Roland added that since Gracie is such a great advocate for young people, he will set up a time when she can talk to the Southwestern Commission and its consultant to give her a voice in that process.
Answering an audience question about the possibility of Pyramid Healthcare, a behavioral and substance abuse-focused healthcare organization, coming to Macon County, Roland said that is being evaluated but is not directly part of the Southwest Commission’s efforts.
“Right now, they’re just trying to get all these good ideas from all the counties and put those in a plan for the commissioners of each county to evaluate,” Roland said, adding that there are several good local behavioral and substance-abuse focused organizations.
The Southwestern Commission held a kickoff meeting at Southwestern Community College’s Franklin campus on July 26 and will hold meetings for the next year across the region.
“Right now, it’s just in the planning phase because you got 16 to 18 years of draws on that money, so it’s not like the county receives a lump sum,” Roland said. “It’s a balance of figuring out what is the best solution and is there something the counties can combine their funding to benefit the region.”
During public comment, Kristen Riley spoke on her suicide attempt when she was 17 and a student at Franklin High School. Riley said many children hide their mental health problems and told the board that 33 of her classmates are no longer here due to various issues. Riley recommended giving a survey to the kids so they can speak more freely about their experiences.