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Bedford County outlines $700,000 in opioid settlement program requests; 13 of 15 applications approved or partially approved
Summary
County planning director Stephanie Clevenstine said Bedford County submitted 15 programs totaling $700,000 to the opioid settlement trust; 13 programs were approved, one partially approved and one remains under consideration, funding treatment access and recovery supports.
Stephanie Clevenstine, Bedford County director of planning, updated commissioners Dec. 9 on the county's use of opioid settlement money. She said the county submitted 15 proposed programs totaling roughly $700,000 to the opioid abatement trust. "The money will be given to county agencies to get people into long‑term treatment programs," she said.
Clevenstine said 13 of the submitted programs received approval, one received partial approval and one program—scholarships for people who completed treatment and family members impacted—remained under consideration and would be handled through local agencies if approved. Approved projects will fund partnerships with local schools, EMS and family supports; some funding is earmarked for a certified recovery specialist position at Behavioral Health.
Commissioner Winck cautioned that program proposals must be specific because if a program is denied by the trust after county funds are allocated, the county could lose that funding. Commissioner Baughman thanked the advisory group that evaluates applications and recommended them to the commissioners.
Why it matters: settlement dollars from pharmaceutical companies are restricted to opioid‑abatement uses; county officials said the funds will expand treatment access and recovery services rather than general government operations. The minutes record the program approvals and the remaining item under consideration; there was no formal motion recorded to adopt new policies in this session.
