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Commissioners allocate opioid funds for treatment and recovery supports, vote to back higher 911 surcharge
Summary
The board approved Resolution R-53 allocating opioid settlement funds across treatment, prevention and recovery programs (notable allocations: Westmoreland Drug & Alcohol Commission $785,000; Lost Dreams Awakening $205,321) and adopted Resolution R-52 urging a 911 surcharge increase from $1.95 to $2.20 to sustain Next Gen 911 funding.
The Board of Commissioners on June 25 approved Resolution R-53-2026 to allocate Westmoreland County's opioid settlement funds for July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. Major line items include $785,000 to Westmoreland Drug and Alcohol Commission, Inc. for in-prison treatment and community distribution of naloxone and $180,250 to WIN-Spirations for workforce-related supports. The resolution also includes municipal support and recovery-community funding such as Lost Dreams Awakening ($205,321) and Sages Army ($179,652); the Westmoreland Drug Treatment Court received $25,000 for transportation assistance.
Separately, the commissioners adopted Resolution R-52-2026 urging legislative action to increase the 911 surcharge from $1.95 to $2.20 and update Chapter 53 to support Next Generation 911. The resolution cited county 911 costs (stated at approximately $3.9 million annually) and estimated that the surcharge increase would yield nearly $1,000,000 in additional revenue for the county.
Why it matters: The opioid-funds allocations direct settlement proceeds to treatment, prevention and workforce programs in the county. The 911 resolution is a policy advocacy action urging state lawmakers to update funding and statute language for emergency communications.
