Crawford County approves opioid-settlement spending, public-safety and human-services contracts

Meadville — At its May 14 meeting, the Crawford County Board of Commissioners approved a set of allocations from opioid-settlement and related behavioral-health funds and ratified a broad set of county contracts and purchases for public safety, information technology, facilities and human services.

The board approved multiple line-item awards tied to opioid remediation work. Approved items included two grants to Bethany Christian Services to provide postnatal recovery resources (one award recorded at $5,368.39 and a second workshop-style ‘‘Self Care’’ activity at $2,860), purchases of urine screens for the county’s medication-assisted-treatment (MAT) program ($10,312.50), and continued support for jail-based treatment staffing (a part-time case manager at $24,531.66 and treatment services accounting for $37,865.47). The board also approved annual upkeep and supply purchases tied to two harm-reduction vending machines ($1,560 for maintenance and $5,000 for additional supplies).

Commissioners also approved a community media campaign supported by opioid funds: leases for two billboards for six months (two boards, $10,500) and continuation of radio advertising at $750 per month for 12 months (total $9,000). The board authorized a six-month extension of the…