Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Recovery Support Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Coffee County committee delays decision on $80,000 request from faith‑based recovery group
Summary
The Coffee County Opiate Abatement Funds Committee heard a presentation July 9 from Derek Bryan of 180 Degrees Ministries seeking $80,000 for recovery‑support services and voted to defer a final funding decision to its August meeting while members verify references and nearby program results.
Derek Bryan, regional director for 180 Degrees Ministries in Murfreesboro, asked the Coffee County Opiate Abatement Funds Disbursement Committee on July 9 for $80,000 to expand recovery support in Coffee County, including one‑on‑one recovery coaching, a 90‑day intensive program, a 12‑week curriculum and scholarships for people who can’t afford fees. "We're not asking you to invest in a program. We're asking you to invest in people," Bryan said.
Committee members pressed Bryan for details on referrals, staffing and outcomes. Bryan said referrals come from churches, recovery courts, probation and direct outreach, and that the organization charges fees to those who can pay while providing scholarships to others. He estimated an annual caseload of 100–150 Coffee County participants with a staffing plan that would include one full‑time coach and a part‑time coach. On program outcomes, Bryan cited figures from other offices: a 65–75% completion rate, roughly 60% engagement at three to six months and an approximate 70% sustained recovery rate at 12 months.
Members said they were encouraged by the proposal but concerned about starting "from ground zero" in Coffee County and about the scale of the requested award. Judge Robert Carter and other committee members said they wanted verification from the applicant's offices in neighboring counties and clarity about the applicant’s local capacity. "We want to check your references," Carter said.
After discussion, the committee voted to defer ruling on Bryan’s award until its August meeting and indicated it could consider a partial, conditional award contingent on verified references and demonstration of local capacity. The committee said it may instead approve a scaled or quartered award and would require invoices and quarterly reports from any recipient.
The committee’s decision to postpone the award means Bryan and 180 Degrees Ministries will have the chance to supply additional documentation and to provide progress data from their Rutherford and Shelby County operations at the August meeting.
