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County outlines opioid response, BEAR team expansion and spending plan from settlements

Burke County Board of Commissioners · February 5, 2026

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Summary

The county reported progress on its opioid response: 2024 overdose deaths fell to 50 (from 60 in 2023), fiscal‑year allocations total $2.72 million with $458,000 spent and $2.26 million remaining, and several funded programs (BEAR team, recovery court, MOUD outreach, SPARC, SAIOP) are operating with dashboards to track treatment engagement and outcomes.

Katie Samuels presented the opioid response and BEAR team update. She said the county tracked 370 EMS suspected overdose calls in 2025 (January–December) with 93 verified overdoses; 2024 overdose deaths numbered 50, down from 60 in 2023. Samuels said the team has allocated $2,720,000 for strategies in fiscal year 25–26, has spent…

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