Clay County health director outlines $192,000 first-year opioid settlement spending, highlights Narcan distribution and prevention grants

Daryl Mikey, director of public health for Clay County and chair of the county's opioid settlement oversight committee, presented the panel's first annual report to the commission, saying roughly $192,000 was distributed in mid-to-late 2025 and yielded a mix of treatment and prevention activity.

"We wanted to have a sustainable plan," Mikey said, noting the county allocated about $111,000 for treatment services and a little over $81,000 for prevention. He said the funding supported peer-support staff, emergency housing and transportation assistance, juvenile drug testing and increased access to Narcan.

The report listed local recipients including Beacon Mental Health, the Klay County Office of Dispute Resolution, the Northland Coalition and Clay County Public Health. Mikey said the health department purchased Narcan vending machines and had about eight machines in place by the end of 2025, distributing roughly 4,500 doses and adding fentanyl test strips to distribution efforts.

Mikey emphasized targeted prevention work funded through mini-grants: school-based programs, pediatric psychiatric services and a parent-education series that reached more than 200 caregivers. He also cited a public-health prevention return-on-investment calculation of about $14 returned for every dollar spent, an estimate he described as a broad planning metric rather than a precise figure.

Commissioners asked for detail on why the committee funded transportation and small housing supports; Mikey explained those costs (rides, scooter and car repairs, short-term hotel stays) are intended to prevent immediate crises that can trigger relapse or loss of employment. "If someone loses transportation, that can be a life-changing event," he said.

Emily Barnes, a representative of the Northland Coalition, and other recipients described implementation: mini-grants to local nonprofits, youth engagement projects and parent resource kits. The coalition said in the first funding round it awarded $30,000 across six projects; a second round expanded awards and applicants.

Mikey told commissioners the committee will report annually and review allocations over the five-year framework established for oversight, adjusting if emerging needs or new funding timelines require re-prioritization.

The presentation concluded with commissioners thanking staff and grantees; no formal vote was required on the informational report.