[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6211637,"mediaKeyId","3692827-1d12fe6c9d94b662e12ea79e82b384e4","parentId",3692827,"title","Rutherford Opioid Board approves multiple grants, commercial script and MTSU contract; trims Community Helpers request","audioSeconds",1641,"startMs",4169000,"endMs",5810000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3692827-1d12fe6c9d94b662e12ea79e82b384e4&start=4169&end=5810","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3692827-1d12fe6c9d94b662e12ea79e82b384e4/thumbnail_4169000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6211637/Rutherford-County/Tennessee/Rutherford-Opioid-Board-approves-multiple-grants-commercial-script-and-MTSU-contract-trims-Community-Helpers-request","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6211637-07fe644f418bbfba1c54bb95379e683e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143283&Signature=TAoEvKY4EuUBlaGNqjyzR9mDi5jg1QMuot8Ax3G9kV4zis6kdEIxpyjVW8fZu2IpkLdAvdzVkEajb4mTeksv4NW5e8iMMJsJ-HFSHz2y81ENxYBlmO8iKkB~tMA-9DsCE6HfmKd5DsyZ5iz79IJx7ZXPGqcB4cyiaQD01klaUqPlBp4QQEhQGIfOm9DlqerdNzdvVP5U5Y1xzqHmaDSx5JBapKSV-lSGWdQhq3YEv045-OhHWq6slWQMY-i-aLgXL-HIJH7z1WrsD-OfNgV37KYP~~Pmi4s2z16ia7gfEE6UKJLUCt9HzRTdNk7lGQVePMNPSaf-2-g-v3HMOnd8nQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Rutherford County, TN","date","2025-06-06T20:00:09.063Z","article","The Rutherford Opioid Board approved several grant awards, a script for a public awareness commercial, and a contract with Middle Tennessee State University during its June meeting. Board members also accepted a budget reduction for Community Helpers recommended by county budget staff.

The board voted to fully fund or award grant amounts to multiple applicants after staff presentations and reviewer recommendations. Votes were taken by roll call for several awards.

Key funding and contract actions (votes at a glance):

- Volunteer Behavioral Health (continuation and slight expansion): Board approved $217,260 in reimbursement‑based funding to expand behavioral health liaisons and outreach. Roll call: William Cope — Yes; Lori Flippo — Yes; Kelly Haley — Yes; Chris Breeding — Yes; Commissioner Peay — Yes; Chairman Harris — Yes. The program will add 0.5 FTE to address increased demand, provide crisis stabilization outreach, and conduct stigma‑reduction education. Reviewers recommended full funding; staff noted travel and phone line‑item questions but cited prior year precedent.

- Prevention Coalition for Success (family preservation/prevention): Board approved $63,085 to support youth and family wraparound services intended to deflect youth from the justice system. Board members abstained from voting where conflict was declared and proceeded with roll call: William Cope — Yes; Lori Flippo — Yes; Kelly Haley — Yes; Trish Bridal (Breeding) — Yes; Mister Pate — Yes; Chairman Harris — Yes.

- Interfaith Dental Clinic (oral health integrated with OUD prevention): Board approved $82,701 to fund dental screening, naloxone distribution, training for dental providers on OUD screening and referral, and purchase of locking pill safes. Roll call recorded affirmative votes and the motion passed.

- Kamari House (trauma‑informed supervised visitation): Board approved $96,029 to continue supervised visitation services that support parent‑child contact and reduce long‑term harms associated with parental substance use. Roll call: affirmative; motion passed.

- Endura Athletics (after‑school and summer programming for McKinney‑Vento youth): Board approved $109,771 with a hybrid payment approach: a lump sum for supplies related to meals and enrichment and reimbursement for fleet insurance/maintenance and remaining personnel costs. The board previously provided a partial lump‑sum to reduce administrative drawdown burdens; the motion passed by roll call.

- Community Helpers (first‑time applicant — reduced allocation): County budget staff recommended trimming this first‑time applicant’s request; the board accepted a 41.8% reduction to $100,000 (reduction and exact line‑item adjustments to be administered through county budget processes). The board’s finance staff explained that first‑time applicant caps and consistent guidance for applicants will be discussed prior to Cycle 2.

- Commercial script for public awareness (\"Faces Behind the Numbers\"): The board reviewed and approved a script for a movie‑theater ad series intended to raise public awareness. Motion to proceed passed by voice vote.

- MTSU contract: The board voted to approve a contract with Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) to provide evaluation/technical assistance services tied to the board’s grant process; the motion passed on roll call.

Funding decisions were generally aligned with reviewer recommendations; board members discussed salary and travel line items during deliberations and emphasized reimbursement controls, documentation and tracking of Rutherford County beneficiaries for grants that serve multiple counties.

Ending: Board staff were asked to standardize guidance for first‑time applicants (possible cap or clearer expectations) before Cycle 2, to prepare tracking spreadsheets for county‑targeted assistance, and to present a consolidated available‑funds figure to the board in advance of the August funding cycle.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Rutherford Opioid Board - June 4, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its June meeting the Rutherford Opioid Board approved funding for multiple community organizations, approved a commercial script and an MTSU contract, and accepted a budget cut recommended by county budget staff for Community Helpers.","taxTitle","Rutherford County, Tennessee","taxId",4625,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6211642,"Athena’s Court describes diversion model for trafficking survivors, urges county partnerships and housing supports",2825,70000,2895000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3692827-1d12fe6c9d94b662e12ea79e82b384e4&start=70&end=2895","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3692827-1d12fe6c9d94b662e12ea79e82b384e4/thumbnail_70000.jpg","/articles/6211642/Rutherford-County/Tennessee/Athenas-Court-describes-diversion-model-for-trafficking-survivors-urges-county-partnerships-and-housing-supports","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6211642-48f7a1df38f6dd1a1bb7f766368403f7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771143283&Signature=h9dvaezulqlcNi1mLENwRU5fqbRShME3SuInqe7iqrRwu1FUObbMDx7Wqwdg2Ue4Fnjxf~~CnImLCZFdFzxHxgPXm~3mez4OZYO6UyWYfvAA0mrRJeblrNzMuNP3ZPnqKQexuhPj0lXWCZzHfSZhwXkRESP6Eg-Hl977xJzlD9Cb-UnMy0bHVugqAwJylM3-2s5nMPvASp--2pWnkIHggegQCxxgvPD7IORKuU0exZ5GlgKK~O~~MxBIb7RbbD2T39sqYSWlAbRA68tcIf0ItS~fvxcwOcdOgRRt4mp78HdNg4lqLqE2r0ET1wujioMSrCFi4NjxKpuqqB257nEocA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its June meeting, the Rutherford Opioid Board heard a detailed presentation from Athena’s Court, a Nashville diversion court serving adult survivors of sex trafficking, and discussed ways Rutherford County could partner with the court on housing and wraparound services.

Judge Anna Espar, a general sessions judge in Davis County who presides over Athena’s Court, said the court offers a treatment‑focused alternative to continued arrest and probation violations for people who identify as survivors of commercial sexual exploitation. “We are the only human trafficking court that we know of in Tennessee,” Judge Espar said, describing a team approach that substitutes sanctions with treatment, stabilization and graduated rewards for milestones.

Athena’s Court staff described program logistics: the court accepts voluntary participants with Davidson County charges (it also sometimes accepts participants with open charges from other counties), operates as a five‑phase program with minimum 90‑day phases, and generally limits active participants to 12 at a time. Staff said participation can last up to 24 months and includes intensive outpatient treatment, random drug screening, psychological and medical evaluations, supervised family/overnight visits in later phases, and case management.

Marjorie Rice, the team’s licensed social worker, summarized common coercion tactics and risk indicators staff use to identify trafficking survivors, including false promises, physical threats, isolation and coerced drug dependency. Rice said many participants have histories of childhood trauma, homelessness and substance use disorders; she added that the court treats relapse through treatment adjustments rather than incarceration.

Kelsey Stewart, client specialist, and Kelly Alvarado, a certified peer recovery specialist, described their roles: Stewart oversees probation supervision and legal navigation when defense or prosecutor offices refer candidates; Alvarado provides peer support and linkage to recovery resources. Grant writer Grace Guerra described the program’s funding model and said Athena’s Court uses grant dollars to pay for housing, identification restoration and other immediate needs.

Board members pressed Athena’s Court staff on how Rutherford County funds would be targeted. Chairman Peake and other board members asked whether a Rutherford County arrest or Rutherford residency was required for the board’s grant proceeds to benefit a person. Athena’s Court staff replied that the program has previously accepted participants with charges from other counties when local judges agreed and that, for housing and client‑specific assistance, the court can track county beneficiaries and propose a spreadsheet for accountability.

Board members also raised an operational gap for minors and juveniles. Athena’s Court staff said juveniles are treated under Tennessee law as trafficking victims (they said Tennessee law treats anyone under 18 as unable to consent to prostitution) and noted that emergency shelter resources for minors in the region are limited (they cited a short‑term Oasis Center program that provides up to two weeks of emergency shelter with parental consent). The board discussed whether local residential capacity or longer‑term placements for juveniles should be part of future funding requests.

Judge Espar and staff invited the board to consider a formal application for Rutherford County funding and asked board staff to coordinate next steps. “We would love to see this replicated in other cities in Tennessee,” Judge Espar said, describing the court as an intervention that aims to reduce revictimization and improve long‑term recovery outcomes.

The presentation closed with board direction to connect Athena’s Court with county staff: board members asked staff member Sarah to meet with the court’s grant writer to draft an application for possible future funding and tracking mechanisms. No formal grant or contract vote took place at this meeting for Athena’s Court.

Ending: The board recommended follow‑up: Athena’s Court will provide assessment tools and referral forms on request, and county staff will explore whether Rutherford County can fund three months of transitional housing, IDs and other immediate needs for local beneficiaries if an application is developed.
","Representatives of Athena’s Court in Nashville briefed the Rutherford Opioid Board on a court‑based diversion and treatment program for adult survivors of sex trafficking, outlined program structure and eligibility, and asked the board to consider county-targeted funding and a formal application to support Rutherford County residents.","actionData","errors"]

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Rutherford Opioid Board approves multiple grants, commercial script and MTSU contract; trims Community Helpers request

Athena’s Court describes diversion model for trafficking survivors, urges county partnerships and housing supports