Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health Recovery topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County updates recovery, re-entry services; board proclaims National Recovery Court Month
Summary
Greene County received an extensive update on recovery and re-entry services, including hiring a physician to prescribe buprenorphine, expansion of clinician services into the county, operation of adult and family recovery courts, and more than 350 re-entry services provided to 90 individuals since March; commissioners adopted a proclamation recognizing National Recovery Court Month.
A county health and recovery official (identified in the transcript as Miss Heath) briefed commissioners on May 4 about an expanded recovery and re-entry effort that spans Greene, Lenor and Jones counties and asked the board to recognize National Recovery Court Month.
Miss Heath said the program has hired a physician who is prescribing buprenorphine (Suboxone) at the health department and a licensed clinical social worker to do substance-use assessments and therapy. She described the recovery center as a “one-stop hub” where people can get treatment, naloxone training and referrals for services including prenatal care, and said the recovery courts operate both adult and family tracks. "Since the 1st of March at the recovery center we have provided more than 350 entry related services to 90 individuals," she told the board.
The presentation emphasized the sequential intercept model — intervening early at points such as first contact with law enforcement, pretrial release, court and re-entry to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes — and described several practical barriers the programs address, such as lack of IDs, transportation to DMV, and assistance getting phones required for job searches. Miss Heath said re-entry services have helped people secure housing, IDs and jobs and highlighted partnerships with community organizations and two county health departments.
Funding and sustainability: Miss Heath listed potential funding pursued for sustainability including Medicaid reimbursement, opioid settlement funds, ABC funds and other grants; she said obtaining billing arrangements and sustainable revenue remains work in progress. The board approved a proclamation recognizing National Recovery Court Month by voice vote.
What it means locally: the recovery center and expanded clinical services are intended to reduce recidivism and connect people to treatment and social supports quickly after arrest or release. Commissioners praised the work and asked staff to continue pursuing reimbursement and grant opportunities to sustain the effort.
Next steps: staff will continue grant and Medicaid-reimbursement work, continue operating recovery courts and re-entry services, and report back on sustainability efforts as requested by the board.
