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Richmond committee forwards five peer recovery specialist grants to council
Summary
The Finance and Economic Development Standing Committee voted to forward five ordinances authorizing opioid-settlement-funded grants to local nonprofits to fund peer recovery specialist programs, recommending approval to full council after public comment and staff presentations.
The Finance and Economic Development Standing Committee on April 21 voted to forward five ordinances to City Council that would authorize grant agreements using opioid settlement funds to expand peer recovery specialist services in Richmond.
The measures fund a $198,000 Caritas training program and four additional nonprofit subgrants through separate ordinances with the McShen Foundation, Saint Luke Legacy Center, Atlantic Outreach Group Inc., and Opportunity Alliance and Reentry. Mike Futula, the city’s opioid response coordinator, told the committee that the awards are part of a larger strategy supported by National Opioid Settlement Funds and a $250,000 award from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority to create and expand peer recovery roles across emergency response, detox, treatment and recovery settings.
Futula said peer recovery specialists are an evidence-based, nonclinical support role. “Peer recovery specialists provide substance use disorder and mental health nonclinical person-centered, strengths-based,…
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