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Board cleans up opioid MOU, approves MAT funding and adds nurse for jail program
Summary
The board approved termination of an earlier MOU and reauthorized opioid-settlement funding to support a Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) program in the Granville County jail, including $60,000 per year to contract with Southern Health Partners for a dedicated nurse; staff said quarterly data reporting will follow.
Sheriff Fountain and public-health partners asked the board to terminate an earlier memorandum of understanding for opioid treatment programs because some allocated positions and funds were not used, and to reauthorize opioid-settlement spending for an amended MAT program in the jail. Kathy Hazlett, facilitator of the Granville County Opioid Advisory Committee, said the revised plan keeps the same total dollar amount previously approved (round 2) and repurposes line items so $60,000 in each fiscal year (FY26 and FY27) can pay a Southern Health Partners nurse for 24 hours per week dedicated to the MAT program.
The sheriff's office also presented a Governor's Highway Safety Program (GHSP) overtime grant (a reimbursable $15,000 overtime award for traffic-safety enforcement) that the board approved. On the opioid items, staff said the total annual allocation is $252,330 for FY26 and the same amount for FY27; the board approved the revised resolution directing opioid settlement expenditures to the sheriff's MAT program and later approved an amended contract with Southern Health Partners reflecting the $60,000 embedded in the contract.
Sheriff's staff said the MAT program will integrate peer support, Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialists (LCAS), and nursing support for intakes, dosing, and continuation of care. Commissioners asked about whether 24 hours per week for the dedicated nurse was sufficient; the sheriff and Hazlett said they would monitor demand and provide quarterly, data-driven reporting on treated individuals, diversionary outcomes and program metrics.
Next steps: staff will finalize the amended MOU and Southern Health Partners contract; the sheriff's office and the opioid advisory committee will present quarterly data reports to the board on program enrollment and outcomes.
