Nonprofit asks Perry County commissioners to tap opioid-settlement funds for veterans mental-health program; commissioners request more details

Representatives of Operation Mind, Body and Soul urged Perry County commissioners to direct opioid-settlement money toward a two-year veterans and first-responder mental-health program, saying the nonprofit has piloted services in neighboring counties and would use grant and settlement funding rather than county general funds.

The nonprofit representative described a recent ribbon-cutting and said the organization received a two-part grant from Duboce County (reported as $26,000 now and a second $26,000 later) and seeks local support to expand peer-based prevention, intervention and postvention services. “We had eight veterans last year who were suicidal who came to us — all eight are still here. Just one would be worth the money,” the nonprofit representative said, attributing that as evidence of the program’s impact.

Why it matters: Presenters said the program prevents crises that otherwise drive county costs for law enforcement, EMS and hospital care, and argued that restricted opioid-settlement funds were intended exactly for services like these. Commissioners and staff expressed concern about legal restrictions and budget constraints, asked whether the hospital or other partners could contribute, and requested specific program designs and cost estimates before making a funding decision.

County context and speaker views: Chris Morrison, who identified himself as Spencer County Veteran Service Officer and a Perry County resident, described multiple instances this year when he personally intervened to prevent veteran suicides and urged commissioners to support locally based crisis resources. A resident who spoke about her own severe health event and subsequent reliance on community mental-health supports also urged funding for preventive services.

Financial details and next steps: Presenters cited a restricted account balance of $100,000 as a source that could be used for services tied to opioid-settlement objectives; commissioners emphasized the difference between restricted and unrestricted funds and said any county commitment must comply with legal restrictions and possibly involve the county council. The nonprofit said its two-year plan includes an approximate first-year ask of $60,000 (the presenters described program scope and said additional private or hospital contributions were being sought), but commissioners asked for a clear budget, evidence of outcomes, and a concise proposal they could review. One commissioner suggested a small working meeting with a couple of commissioners and council members to examine the “nuts and bolts.”

What happened procedurally: Commissioners heard the presentation and public testimony; they did not commit county funds on the spot. They encouraged the nonprofit to provide written designs, a budget and partner commitments and to meet with commissioners and council representatives for follow-up. Commissioners and presenters discussed potential in-kind support (including a used ambulance the county identified) and agreed to further meetings to explore practical options.

Quotes and attribution: “This opioid money is not for bailing counties out of having troubles with money… it came down to help people,” the nonprofit representative said when pressed about county financial pressures. Chris Morrison said, “Five times this year I’ve been out to intervene in the suicides of veterans using my personal car with no support,” describing frontline gaps the presenters said their program addresses.

What’s next: The presenters were asked to submit drawings, a program budget and partner letters and to schedule a follow-up work session involving commissioners and council members. No formal vote or allocation occurred at the meeting.