Hickman County Schools accept opioid-abatement funds for prevention and behavioral-health support

Hickman County School district staff told the board the district successfully placed highly in an allocation of opioid-abatement settlement funds and recommended approval of an MOU to accept and use the award for school-based prevention and behavioral-health services.

Olivia Phelps and Behavioral Health/Coordinated School Health staff told the board the district had applied jointly for prevention and intervention dollars. They said the district requested $128,000; while staff said the full amount requested was not awarded, Hickman County scored highest among applicants and received the largest award among applicants in the region. At a later point in the meeting the prevention team said the prevention portion already received $20,000 and that amount has been spent and will be reimbursed through the award process.

Staff described how the award will pay for one year of an additional team member to provide brief intervention, evidence-based addiction prevention and coordination with teachers and principals. The application also included a data tool to measure outcomes and target interventions and a community component to support furnishing and operating a safe space at the Bernard Community Center for youth who otherwise lack stable placement.

Staff said the award requires no local financial match. The board moved to approve the MOU and to authorize district staff to sign required documents.

Quotes in the meeting reflect staff emphasis on both prevention (student ambassadors, anti-vaping campaigns and peer interventions) and intervention (behavioral-health staff providing brief interventions), and on the district’s efforts to measure outcomes and partner with community providers.

The transcript shows a board motion to approve the MOU, a second, and subsequent votes; no detailed dollar-by-dollar award letter was read into the record at the meeting.