Rhea County approves opioid‑settlement distributions, waives competitive applications for several awards

Rhea County commissioners on Feb. 17 approved execution of the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council Letter of Agreement and ratified local allocations recommended by the county Opioid Committee.

The county accepted the council's Letter of Agreement enabling receipt of opioid‑abatement allocations and approved the county's plan to distribute available funds to local providers. The commission read into the minutes the Opioid Committee action recommending direct allocations to local nonprofits and county programs and approved the recommendations without formal competitive applications for those specific awards.

The Commission's recorded allocations (Exhibit A to the Feb. 17 packet) included: a $50,000 Brown‑Greer allocation to the Children's Advocacy Center for administrative costs; $60,000 from the Edison (state allocation) to support the Rhea County Recovery Program through General Sessions Court; $5,592.40 (Brown‑Greer) to fund the recovery‑program probation officer salary/benefits; $50,000 (Edison) to Kealoha Ministries (administration); and Our Father's House was allocated two Edison awards — $20,000 for program support and $30,000 for a van and a portable shop/class building. The Opioid Committee minutes (Nov. 18, 2025) that were read into the record show the committee also recommended $60,000 in Brown‑Greer funds be distributed to local food pantries, citing a staff email on the role of nutrition in recovery.

At the Nov. 18 meeting, Finance Director Ralph Beck said he had reviewed guidance and an email from counsel (Sarah McCall) and concluded the Brown‑Greer funds could be used in part for food‑assistance distributions. Beck referenced the committee's supporting note that "Research has shown that (1) malnutrition is a prevalent issue among individuals with substance use disorder and (2) proper nutrition is essential for repairing the physical and mental damage caused by chronic substance abuse, stabilizing mood, reducing craving, and building a foundation for long‑term recovery." The committee voted to waive the standard application process for that food‑bank distribution but required recipients to provide proof of 501(c)(3) status and recent financial statements.

Why it matters: The county's distribution plan directs opioid‑settlement dollars toward direct services and recovery infrastructure in Rhea County, including probation supervision tied to a recovery program and nonprofit capacity support. The county's approach—waiving application requirements for some allocations and tying awards to deliverables—affects how quickly services can be funded and the audit trail required by state and national settlement rules.

Reporting and oversight: The county requires recipients to submit proof of nonprofit status and recent financial statements and directed recipients to report outcomes (number served and use of funds) to the Opioid Committee on a scheduled follow‑up (Opioid Committee reporting dates were set in the minutes). The county also must comply with the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council's reporting and allowable‑use rules described in the Letter of Agreement.

Next steps: County staff will finalize the Letter of Agreement execution and distribute funds according to the approved list; recipients must meet documentation and reporting requirements to receive payments.