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Commissioners approve submission of grant to continue medication treatment program at Kent County Detention Center
Summary
Kent County approved submitting a state grant application to continue medication-for-opioid-use-disorder services at the detention center for FY2026; staff said the program is required by state law and that if the grant is not awarded the county would need to fund the service.
The Kent County Board of Commissioners approved submitting a grant application to the Maryland Office of Opiate Response (presented at the meeting as part of GOCP funding) to continue medication-for-opioid-use-disorder (MOUD) services and counseling at the Kent County Detention Center for fiscal year 2026.
Joanne McNamara, grants program administrator, summarized the program history: Maryland enacted a 2019 legislative requirement that correctional facilities offer treatment for people with opioid use disorder, including medication. Kent County implemented a program to comply and has been supported by state grant funds that expire in June 2025. McNamara said the county is applying to continue that support for FY2026 and that the grant requires no local match.
Budget details provided in the board presentation described telecounseling at $86,531, nursing support at $55,980 and drug testing at $16,100, for a presented total of $189,717. Staff warned that, if the grant is not renewed, legally required services would fall back to county funding.
The board voted to approve the application submission. A motion was made and carried by voice vote.
Quote: "If we are not successful getting this grant, because it is a state mandate, that's gonna fall back onto the county to come up with those funds," a commissioner said during discussion.
Ending: Grants staff will submit the application and inform the board of the award outcome. If the county does not receive grant funding, the board directed staff to prepare a county funding plan to meet statutory obligations.
