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Muncie opioid advisory committee recommends expedited grants to three local recovery organizations
Summary
The Muncie Opioid Fund Advisory Committee recommended distributing $25,000 this year and next to three local recovery organizations — Big Time Barbell, the Serenity Club and the Recovery Cafe — and said it will publish guidelines and a proposal form for other local providers.
At the March 2 Muncie Common Council meeting, Linda Daniel, secretary of the Opioid Fund Advisory Committee, updated councilors on the committee’s first meetings and funding recommendations for the city’s opioid settlement funds.
Daniel, a licensed clinical psychologist who said the committee includes local treatment and recovery representatives and legal and prosecutorial input, said the advisory panel has prioritized transparency and stewardship. The committee has compiled a list of local providers offering medication-assisted treatment, harm-reduction products and recovery support and is creating an application form to distribute funds.
To expedite assistance, the committee recommended awarding $25,000 this year and $25,000 next year to three local organizations that serve people in recovery: Big Time Barbell, the Serenity Club and the Recovery Cafe. "These funds are available only because of the loss of life," Daniel said, adding the committee uses state guidelines and Johns Hopkins ethical principles to shape distribution.
Council members thanked the committee for its work and asked staff about public posting of committee agendas and minutes; Daniel said the group is working on public access via a shared drive and asked the city to consider linking committee agendas and minutes on the council web page.
Why it matters: Council control of opioid settlement or fund dollars is a central local-budget responsibility; the committee’s early recommendation to earmark expedited awards to local recovery partners sets spending priorities and signals an emphasis on community-based, low-barrier services.
Next steps: The committee will finalize an application form and public posting procedures; councilors asked staff to explore linking the committee’s materials to the city website.
