Sheriff seeks framework for restricted opioid funds; commissioners approve contract with SWIR for jail recovery support

The Vanderburgh County commissioners on March 11 conducted a first reading of an ordinance to establish an opioid restricted-donation fund and then voted to table the ordinance while county staff and the auditor review account mechanics. At the same meeting the board approved a professional services agreement with Southwest Indiana Recovery and Empowerment Inc. (SWIR) to provide initial recovery support services at the county jail.

Sheriff Noah Robinson introduced the ordinance (CO-03-25-007), saying the account would allow the sheriff’s office to spend restricted opioid settlement dollars to support a recovery program in the jail. County legal staff and the auditor’s office said they will examine how the settlement payments are already held — in separate restricted and unrestricted accounts — and whether creation of an additional restricted account or documentation is needed. Legal counsel recommended moving the ordinance only on first reading and returning with account documentation at the next meeting.

Commissioners recorded that state law and the opioid settlements impose limits on the allowable uses for restricted funds, and staff said the sheriff’s planned expenditures were intended to comply with those limits. County legal counsel and the sheriff described the review as an ‘‘abundance of caution’’ to ensure compliance with state law, federal requirements and the settlement agreements.

While the ordinance was tabled, commissioners approved a professional services agreement with SWIR to operate the integrative recovery and community support (IRACS) program at the jail. Sheriff Robinson and SWIR representative Nate Boyette said the IRACS model brings peer recovery support, resource navigation, recovery planning and reentry services into the jail. The county expects the IRACS program to make the jail-based recovery services sustainable while the county pursues additional state IRACS funding to pay for expanded jail services.

Funding plan: officials said the county intends to use restricted opioid dollars to support the community-based recovery organization that is required to qualify for state IRACS funding. They also said the mental-health wing and competency-restoration services will be funded through a combination of opioid dollars, county contractual-service funds and incoming recovery-works dollars.

Votes and next steps: commissioners unanimously approved the SWIR contract and moved to table the ordinance establishing the restricted fund so legal and auditing staff can finalize the account setup and confirm compliance. Staff indicated they could return with documentation at the next meeting and that, if unanimously agreed, commissioners could waive the second reading and adopt the ordinance at that time.

Ending: The county will finalize accounting mechanisms with the auditor’s office and return the ordinance for a subsequent vote; SWIR will begin work under the approved contract to provide recovery supports at the jail.