Council OKs $331,000 in opioid-settlement funds for EMS-led outreach and prevention partnership

Hilton Head Island’s Town Council voted to accept state-distributed opioid settlement funds and fund a pilot program that pairs a fire-rescue outreach team with the Lowcountry Alliance for Healthy Youth to provide post‑overdose follow-up, treatment navigation and prevention messaging.

The council approved a resolution to use the town’s current allocation—about $331,000—from the South Carolina Opioid Recovery Fund (SCORF). Fire Rescue presented a model in which EMS crews and a peer-support specialist make field-based contacts within 24–72 hours of an overdose or other high-risk encounter, offer linkage to medication‑assisted treatment and behavioral health services, train families in naloxone use, and provide continuing engagement until the person is ready for treatment.

Fire Rescue Chief Chris Blankenship and his team described local data showing 107 naloxone administrations from 2020–2024 (a five‑year total), an average age of roughly 42 for overdose patients treated by EMS, and that 50% of people with mental‑health disorders will experience substance misuse at some point. The presentation cited peer-reviewed case studies and other municipal programs showing treatment engagement increases of 60–80% and repeat‑overdose reductions around 35% in similar outreach models. The town’s proposed initial budget for the pilot is roughly $93,859 for the fire-rescue component (staffing, outreach vehicle, training) and $238,005 to fund Lowcountry Alliance programming and prevention work; staff said the funds are part of multi‑year allocations from the statewide settlement.

Lowcountry Alliance for Healthy Youth outlined complementary prevention strategies including public education campaigns, drug disposal events, faith‑based outreach, peer‑to‑peer education in schools and Spanish‑language access efforts. Grants administrator Michelle Bunts explained the SCORF application schedule and reporting requirements; funds are allocated in annual cycles and require semiannual and annual reporting. Council members supported the pilot, noting local gaps in treatment facilities and the public‑health benefits of an EMS‑based outreach model. The resolution passed unanimously, 7–0.