Terrebonne Parish council approves $881,000 budget amendment, directs opioid settlement money to court programs and police

The Terrebonne Parish Council on Jan. 26 adopted an ordinance amending the 2025 operating budget to allocate a recent opioid-settlement payment of roughly $881,000 to local programs addressing substance use and public safety.

The council approved a budget amendment that, as presented in committee and during the public hearing, allocates $330,000 to Family Preservation Court, $200,000 to Terrebonne Drug and Treatment Court and $351,000 to the Houma Police Department; the ordinance also included smaller line items for animal-shelter and other departmental needs. The amendment passed during the council’s regular meeting after public testimony and extended discussion among council members and staff.

The move follows notification to the parish that the settlement payment this year was larger than expected. "This year alone, we were expected to receive $433,000 and received $881,000," Judge David Arseneault of the Family Preservation Court told the council during public comment, citing figures presented by the court team.

Why it matters: the one-time deposit — and the parish’s expectation of further, irregular settlement payments over coming years — presents an immediate funding opportunity for treatment and prevention programs as well as law enforcement. Council members and program leaders debated how to balance awards so programs can expand services while preserving flexibility for future deposits.

What the council approved and how it will be used

- Family Preservation Court: $330,000 was presented to the council as the Family Preservation Court allocation (the court asked for two-year funding to hire staff and stand up an expanded prenatal program). Valerie Cooper, coordinator for Family Preservation, described plans to start a prenatal program and said the court could "start with at least 20" pregnant women in year one while continuing wraparound services and existing family-reunification work.

- Terrebonne Drug and Treatment Court: $200,000 was included to support the drug court and related treatment services.

- Houma Police Department (HPD): $351,000 was allocated to HPD for law-enforcement response to narcotics crime and for operational needs the department identified, including equipment and training. Travis Theriault, Houma chief of police, told the council HPD is "not out there to put the users in jail" and said the department’s emphasis is on "going after the drug dealers." He also said prior opioid-abatement money had been used for officer safety equipment and training.

Council discussion and next steps

Council members and administrators debated whether the Family Preservation allocation should be guaranteed over two years (the court had proposed a two‑year plan) or be treated as a single-year allocation that could be revisited when additional settlement funds arrive. Candice Malden (administration/finance) explained that because settlement receipts arrive unpredictably, the parish cannot reliably budget future years until funds are actually received. She said the ordinance adopted tonight is written for the amounts as introduced and that the council could adopt further amendments later.

Several council members urged collaboration among the courts, police and regional partners. Parish administration said it will continue meetings with the Bayou Community Foundation and regional stakeholders to map service gaps and pursue other grant and federal funding opportunities discussed during the meeting.

Public testimony and program detail

Representatives from Family Preservation Court, including Judge David Arseneault, coordinator Valerie Cooper and program staff, described the local need — referencing local births (the court cited roughly 1,600 births per year at Terrebonne General) and recent counts of substance‑exposed newborns — and urged sustained funding for prenatal outreach, provider training, and capacity to keep families intact when possible. Ellen Doske, representing Family Preservation Court, and Sarah Hensley, who said she oversees a behavioral-health unit, described partnerships with local hospitals and specialists to create treatment pathways for pregnant people with substance use disorder.

Judge Arseneault said the parish had received higher-than-expected settlement money and argued the parish should plan now: "If we can address the prenatal substance abuse, get pregnant women in treatment before their babies are born, then we don't have the issue of them coming into state's custody," he told the council.

Chief Theriault said HPD will coordinate with courts and treatment providers and noted prior uses of opioid funds for officer safety and training. "We made the men and women of the Houma Police Department safe to go after this," Theriault said, describing past purchases of protective equipment and de‑escalation training.

Implementation and fiscal notes

- Settlement timing: presenters said the opioid settlement is expected to provide recurring payments to the parish over an approximately 15‑year period, but amounts and timings are irregular and cannot be booked until received. Officials repeatedly described the current allocation as the money in hand and said further requests to shift or add funding would require subsequent council action.

- Program start: Family Preservation representatives said the prenatal pilot can be initiated with the adopted allocation and that program leaders expect a measurable early caseload (staff estimated starting with roughly 20 prenatal participants in year one, with a broader ripple effect through families).

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance amending the 2025 operating budget (opioid/settlement allocation): Adopted (vote recorded by the council as approved during the Jan. 26 meeting). - Ordinance authorizing parish president to execute lease/cooperative agreement for space to U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins: Adopted (passed in meeting during public hearing). - Ordinance approving Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) waiver for Civic Center use Jan. 30, 2025: Adopted. - Routine business: Minutes (Dec. 18, 2024; Jan. 15, 2025), accounts payable, and multiple appointments and ratifications (parish attorneys, boards/commissions) were approved as presented.

Council chair Carly Harding closed the public hearing portion of the meeting after extensive testimony and moved the ordinance to a vote. The council adopted the ordinance as introduced; administration staff said they will prepare agreements for the Family Preservation Court and other recipients to document the uses of the funds and reporting requirements.