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Pitt County board approves $615,000 in opioid-settlement awards for local programs
Summary
The county approved recommendations to allocate $615,000 of opioid-settlement funds for seven local programs after a review process that emphasized reimbursement rules and that all spending must be opioid-related.
Pitt County officials voted June 16 to recognize $615,000 in opioid-settlement allocations for seven local programs after a review of submitted applications.
Caitlin Houston, the county’s opioid settlement coordinator, told commissioners the funds come from national settlements with pharmaceutical and retail companies and that a memorandum of agreement (MOA) and state oversight establish tight spending rules. She said the money must be used 100% for opioid-related services and that subrecipients face detailed reporting and impact-report requirements.
Houston said the review committee recommended funding for Engage E and C; the Pitt County Coalition on Substance Use (PICSU); Pitt County Public Health; Pitt County Behavioral Court; Integrated Family Services; Road to Recovery; and Pathways to Life for a combined $615,000. She added the county received 13 applications covering 21 of the eligible strategies and that the program is part of an 18-year settlement schedule; Pitt County is in year 16.
Houston explained why some applicants were not recommended. For example, Victorious Living Ministries’ application included expenses (the “Sharps” program) that the review committee determined were largely salary and fringe items and not sufficiently opioid-specific for reimbursement. Houston said staff will work with organizations that were not funded to strengthen future applications; FY2024–25 unspent dollars roll back into the county account and can be reallocated in the next cycle.
Board members voted to approve the coordinator’s recommendations. No financial tally was recorded in the public minutes beyond the total recommended allocation. Houston also noted that the funds are reimbursement-only, which requires subrecipients to front costs and submit documentation to receive payment.
The board’s action recognizes and authorizes the recommended allocations; the county will execute subrecipient agreements and monitoring consistent with the MOA and state oversight.
