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Wake County to spend more than $67 million from opioid settlements; local reentry program highlighted
Summary
Wake County officials said the county will receive more than $67 million over 18 years from national opioid settlement funds and is distributing the money through a competitive grant process to support treatment, housing, prevention and recovery; Arise Collective was presented as a local example of a grant-funded reentry program.
Unidentified Speaker 1 (transcript label: Speaker 1), identified in the recording as a county spokesperson, said Wake County will use its share of national opioid settlement money to fund treatment, housing, overdose prevention, early intervention and recovery services. The county described a competitive grant process and encouraged residents to review funding priorities online at wake.gov/opioids.
Statewide settlement proceeds, the county said, total about $1,500,000,000, with approximately 85% directed to the local level. "Here in Wake County, we're slated to receive more than 67,000,000 over 18 years, and we're using these funds to invest in critically needed services like treatment, housing, overdose prevention, early intervention, and recovery," the county spokesperson said on the recording.
County officials said they solicited community input through public sessions and surveys and consulted the Wake County Overdose Prevention Coalition to identify priority strategies. The county said it has launched a competitive grant process to review proposals from community-based organizations and distribute awards to projects that align with those priorities.
Unidentified Speaker 2, a representative of Arise Collective (transcript label: Speaker 2), described the organization's long-standing work with women impacted by incarceration and said reentry services are a primary focus of the grant-funded work. The speaker said the organization provides transportation, program funding and emotional and spiritual supports intended to connect people to services after release.
A peer who spoke about reentry described limited options for people with opioid use disorder after release and said peer support helps people "navigate potholes" and stay engaged with services. "I don't believe that the opposite of addiction is sobriety. I think it's connection," said Unidentified Speaker 3 (transcript label: Speaker 3), summarizing the program approach that emphasizes community and peer relationships alongside clinical care.
Another program participant offered a brief, supportive remark: "It's okay. You're gonna be alright," (transcript label: Speaker 4) illustrating the peer-based encouragement the county said it aims to support through funded programs.
No formal votes or ordinances were recorded in this briefing. The county framed the statements as explanatory and promotional of the grant process; it directed viewers to wake.gov/opioids for details about funding opportunities and timelines.
