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Grant County board approves a slate of opioid-settlement grants, tables remainder for review
Summary
Grant County commissioners approved several opioid-settlement grants — including funding for DARE, a medicine drop box, rental assistance and a senior mental-health program — and tabled remaining applications pending more documentation and quarterly reporting requirements.
Grant County commissioners on a routine agenda voted to approve several projects recommended by a local opioid-settlement task force while tabling the remaining applications for further review.
Public Health staff told the board that the task force received applications through June 15 and recommended seven projects to reduce opioid misuse and support treatment, prevention and community resilience. The task force said the county will establish contracts with awarded agencies and that funding start dates and end dates vary by project.
After questions from commissioners about a proposed wellness coordinator and two sheriff’s office applications (one focused on physical fitness, the other on mental-health/wellness), the task force agreed to ask the sheriff to provide documentation demonstrating that fitness memberships and other reimbursements are being used. Public Health said the group will request quarterly documentation to confirm use and effectiveness; if metrics are not provided, funds would be reconsidered.
The board approved by voice votes the following awards presented during the meeting: $11,915 to a county DARE program and $1,575 for a medicine drop box; $35,000 to Western Community Actions for rental assistance and outreach; and funding for Vivi/PEARLS, a regional senior mental-health program aimed at ages 60 and older to reduce isolation and improve medication management. Commissioners also approved a Norcross youth/community-improvement request of about $11,000 that was driven by student-survey findings showing low feelings of community support among eighth graders.
Several other grant applications were tabled until the board’s next meeting (two weeks) to allow commissioners time to review narrative materials and for staff to provide additional information, including metrics and cost breakdowns. Public Health staff said they provide an annual consolidated report (due to the state in mid-January) and can supply county-specific quarterly updates on progress and use of funds.
Next steps: the board directed staff to return with requested documentation and recommended quarterly status reports for awarded projects. Commissioners left open the option to vote on individual grant contracts at future meetings once the requested clarifications are provided.
