County officials highlight drug-response work, approve $20,000 from opioid fund for regional task force

County leaders and law-enforcement officials described lessons from the national Rx Drug Summit and the court voted to allocate $20,000 from local opioid-settlement funds to the North Central Kentucky Drug Task Force on May 5.

Oldham County Jailer Jeff Tindle thanked the court for sending local leaders to the Nashville summit, saying it brought together law enforcement, clinicians and people in recovery. "What we learned is what we can do to better our community," Tindle said. Chief Deputy Jim Acquisto and Sgt. Ozzie Rodriguez added that the conference provided best-practice models the county can adapt through its opioid committee.

County attorney Barry Baxter updated the court on the regional task force, saying it currently includes four counties and that a screening committee had received 10 applicants for a director position. "We appointed a committee to screen those applicants, and we're in the process of doing that," Baxter said, noting the captain of the state police post, the commonwealth's attorney and the Trimble County sheriff are involved in the screening process.

Magistrate Woosley moved and the court approved using $20,000 in opioid-settlement funds to support the regional task force; the motion carried by voice vote. Baxter said the task force will be headquartered at the Henry County sheriff’s department and that local counties had already agreed to an initial $40,000 general-fund commitment per county; the opioid funds supplement those commitments for startup support and director recruitment.

The court discussed other opioid-related activity, including use of settlement funds for treatment programming through the detention center and outreach efforts. The motion to spend the opioid-settlement money carried by voice vote.