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Caswell County outlines FY27 opioid spending plan, recommends $247,000 in target programs
Summary
County staff presented opioid settlement data and a recommended FY27 spending plan that would allocate about $247,000 to treatment, re-entry, harm reduction and outreach; officials emphasized compliance with the state memorandum of agreement and annual reporting.
Miss Williamson, who leads the county opioid advisory committee, told the Caswell County Board of Commissioners on May 18 that North Carolina continues to face significant overdose impacts and that counties must use settlement funds in compliance with the state memorandum of agreement.
“Caswell County projected overdose death rate is estimated at 35.8 per 100,000 residents,” Miss Williamson said, noting that based on the county population the rate represents approximately eight projected overdose deaths and that roughly half of those involve illicit opioids. She said the state is projected to receive approximately $1.42 billion in opioid settlement funds through 2038 and that Caswell County’s share is a little over $2 million across that period.
The advisory committee recommended roughly $247,000 in opioid settlement spending for FY27. The plan identifies specific allocations: $85,000 for addiction treatment for incarcerated persons (including nurse staffing and medication-assisted treatment continuation), $60,000 for re-entry supports and connections to benefits, $20,000 for syringe-service/harm-reduction supplies and safe-disposal support, $12,000 for collaborative strategic planning and outreach, and $70,000 for a new lower-barrier treatment access initiative modeled on a program used in Guilford County.
Williamson described existing program outcomes and demand: a jail-based medication-for-opioid-use-disorder (MOUD) program had three inmates initiate treatment and eight continue in custody, the Starting Point Harm Reduction Coalition has engaged 32 participants to date, and a county-sponsored outreach event in April drew about 500 attendees. She said settlement funds must be used for approved Exhibit A/B strategies and that counties must track and report expenditures annually.
Commissioners did not take formal action but were asked to provide input ahead of budget appropriation. The manager said the FY27 opioid spending would be part of the upcoming budget presentation and that public input would be welcomed at a joint meeting with town representatives.
