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Bladen County shifts opioid settlement money to collaborative plan, approves local programs
Summary
County health staff said Bladen County is moving opioid settlement funds from the restrictive 'Option A' to 'Option B,' enabling collaborative strategic planning and an opioid steering committee; the board approved several settlement-related items, including a $90,000 allocation for Southeast Crossroads youth services.
Bladen County health officials told commissioners on Aug. 5 they are transitioning opioid-settlement funds from the narrow "Option A" to "Option B," a collaborative strategic planning pathway the county’s appointed opioid steering committee will use to tailor programs to local needs. The change, officials said, was approved by the state attorney general and expands eligible strategies beyond the limited list under Option A.
Isabella Faison, health educator II with the county health department, presented overdose and poisoning data showing county rates above state averages and said the move is intended to allow evidence-based, community-tailored responses. She said the county plans to fund school- and community-based prevention programs, increase naloxone availability and support peer-support specialists working with emergency services. "We need this committee and that we need strategies in place to improve these deaths," Faison said.
During discussion commissioners asked for details on the total settlement amounts and funding sources; staff said multiple settlement streams (including retail settlements such as Kroger and Walmart) contribute and that the package provided to the board contains the full accounting. Commissioners discussed using a remaining balance from a prior settlement to subsidize the initial budget.
The board moved, seconded and approved items labeled a through d (related to settlement spending and program planning). Commissioners also approved a $90,000 allocation to Southeast Crossroads for services aimed at county children; staff said a contract and invoice will be required before funds are released.
The county plans quarterly meetings to review progress, measure referrals and naloxone distribution, and track LifeSkills program completions and short-term outcomes. The attorney general’s permission to transition funds and the creation of an opioid steering committee were cited as key steps enabling the broader strategy. The board signaled support for the package and directed staff to proceed with the Option B planning process.
