Parke County approves four opioid-prevention grants, including funding for jail life-skills program

Parke County commissioners approved four opioid-settlement or local community corrections (LCC)-funded grants intended for prevention and treatment programs.

Stephanie (county staff) outlined the applications: $1,078 for the Rockville Police Department to buy trick-or-treat bags with drug- and alcohol-awareness materials for elementary and middle-school outreach; $1,000 for a longstanding post-prom program; a Riverton Park award (amount not specified during the presentation); and $4,480 to fund a 12-week "12 Crucial Life Skills" program offered at the county jail from June through December.

Commissioners questioned how program effectiveness is measured. One commissioner asked, “Are we just handing out money, or do we know that it’s doing something?” Stephanie said post-prom events provide an evaluation at completion and the LCC reviews reporting, while treatment programs (not prevention) provide participant counts and graduation data. An LCC member noted the county’s LCC funds comprise fines and fees from drug- and alcohol-related arrests, a share of which is sent to the state; local awards are considered and voted on by LCC members.

County discussion also noted a drop in LCC revenue partly tied to changes in state law on marijuana enforcement; the judge increased an interdiction fee from $200 to $300 to help restore balances.

A motion was made and seconded to approve the four grants as recommended and commissioners approved them by voice vote with an affirmative response; the meeting record did not include a numerical roll-call tally.

The grants approved on the record are intended for prevention and educational uses, and the jail program is expected to enroll roughly 8 men and 4 women on average, with certificate completion as an outcome of the program.