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Ray County approves $20,000 opioid‑settlement grants to four school districts for D.A.R.E.
Summary
Ray County Commissioners approved using opioid‑settlement funds to award $20,000 to each of four local school districts to expand D.A.R.E. drug‑awareness programming, with the partnership to be reviewed in December 2026.
Ray County Commissioners on March 4 voted to partner with four area school districts to expand D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), approving $20,000 in opioid‑settlement funds for each district.
The funding was approved after superintendents from Orrick R‑XI, Hardin‑Central, Lawson R‑XIV and Richmond R‑XVI met with the commission to discuss strengthening school‑based prevention and awareness programs. Commissioner Bobby Don Davis moved to form the partnership and allocate the funds; Presiding Commissioner Sheila Tracy seconded the motion, which carried 2‑0 on March 4 and was later recorded as carried by the full commission when the item was finalized.
The agreement specifies that the partnership will be reviewed in December 2026; if the review is positive, the program may continue into 2027. Commissioners noted the dollars come from opioid settlement proceeds earmarked for prevention and treatment activities.
School superintendents present were Chris Russo (Orrick R‑XI), Austin Purvis (Hardin‑Central), Michael Stephenson (Lawson R‑XIV) and Bryan Copple (Richmond R‑XVI). The approved award letters authorize $20,000 per participating district, a total of $80,000 in allocations. The commission directed staff to return documentation and signed agreements to finalize the awards.
The commission did not specify programmatic details for curriculum delivery, reporting requirements, or metrics in the meeting record; those items are to be set by participating districts and county staff during implementation and the December review.
