Commissioners approve about $300,000 in opioid settlement funds to continue jail MAT program

Franklin County commissioners voted to approve using roughly $300,000 in opioid settlement funds to continue the Franklin County Jail’s medication‑assisted treatment (MAT) program for people with opioid use disorder.

The money, described by James Eigler, director of the Franklin‑Fulton Single County Authority, as “roughly $300,000,” will be used primarily to purchase medications and support the jail’s existing MAT infrastructure. Eigler said the funding is one‑time money and the county will continue conversations about longer‑term sustainability with jail leadership and county administration.

The MAT program began in February 2016, Eigler told commissioners, and had been grant‑funded until those grants became unavailable. He said data demonstrate people leaving incarceration are at high risk of overdose, and the program has reduced recidivism and saved lives. “This money’s … going to be used for the jail’s MAT program,” Eigler said.

Why it matters: County officials said continuing MAT helps reduce overdose risk after release and supports a coordinated “warm handoff” from jail to community care. Eigler described weekly coordination between jail medical staff (PrimeCare), the county’s case managers, recovery support specialists and a program specialist to arrange referrals, two weeks’ medication vouchers and follow‑up care.

How the handoff works: Eigler said case managers review individuals in the MAT program, assess community treatment needs, and arrange targeted release dates and referrals. The county provides vouchers to Chambersburg Apothecary covering two weeks of medication so people leaving custody have medication on hand while community appointments are confirmed. The program also places recovery support specialists — people with lived experience — inside the jail who will link people to community certified recovery specialists on release.

Funding details and timing: Eigler said the $300,000 is expected to last at least 12 months, depending on enrollment and medication costs, and could stretch to about 15 months. He told commissioners the county had about $500,000 available under a previously announced opioid remediation grant round but only received roughly $260,000 in applications; unspent funds from that round and a delayed transportation pilot left dollars available. Eigler said those funds must be committed and spent by June 15, and that use of the money aligns with Exhibit E of the national opioid settlement’s approved uses.

Longer‑term funding options: Eigler and others told the board they are seeking sustainable funding sources, including an amendment to Act 80 administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) that would expand eligible medications beyond naltrexone to include buprenorphine and methadone. Eigler referenced House Bill 561 as the pending state measure under consideration in the House Human Services Committee.

Discussion and vote: Commissioners asked how long the $300,000 would cover services and whether spending it meant the county could not use the same funds for other opioid‑related projects. Eigler said the funds came largely from unspent opioid remediation and transportation pilot allocations and that the steering committee and the county’s drug and alcohol advisory board had supported the allocation. The motion to approve the funding passed by voice vote.

What remains unresolved: The county has not yet identified a stable, ongoing funding source if the Act 80 amendment or other state funding is not secured. Eigler said the county will continue to explore settlement distributions and state funding and will coordinate with county administration and jail leadership on next steps.