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Ray County approves $20,000 per district from opioid settlement to fund D.A.R.E. partnership
Summary
Ray County Commissioners approved a partnership with four school districts to expand D.A.R.E. programming, awarding $20,000 from opioid settlement funds to each district; the awards will be reviewed in December 2026.
Presiding Commissioner Sheila Tracy and Western Commissioner Bobby Don Davis approved a partnership with four local school districts on March 4, 2026 to expand Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) programming using opioid settlement funds.
Superintendent Chris Russo of Orrick R-XI, Superintendent Austin Purvis of Hardin-Central, Superintendent Michael Stephenson of Lawson R-XIV and Superintendent Bryan Copple of Richmond R-XVI met with the Commission to describe the proposed school-based drug awareness and prevention work. Commissioners expressed interest in using opioid settlement proceeds to support the program and voted to partner with the districts.
Commissioner Bobby Don Davis moved to authorize awards of $20,000 from opioid settlement funds to each of the four participating districts; Presiding Commissioner Sheila Tracy seconded and the motion carried. The agreements and award letters were signed the same day, and the Commission set a review of the partnership for December 2026, after which continued funding through 2027 may be considered if the review is positive.
The awards are drawn from county-held opioid settlement funds; the transcript records the Commission's approval and the signed agreements but does not specify program oversight details, metrics for the December review, or implementation timelines beyond the annual review date.
Next steps: school districts and county staff will execute the signed agreements and prepare for program rollout; the Commission will review progress in December 2026.
