Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Opioid Response topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County approves opioid-abatement grant to help hire executive director for Chatham recovery center
Summary
The Health & Human Services Committee approved $7,000 in opioid-abatement funds to help the county’s Addiction Recovery Center in Chatham hire a part-time executive director to support volunteer-run programming; Director Al Massey said volunteers are 'growing tired.'
The Columbia County Health & Human Services Committee voted May 19 to allocate $7,000 in opioid-abatement dollars to support the Addiction Recovery Center (CCPR) in Chatham as it moves from an all-volunteer model toward hiring a part-time executive director.
"They're all receiving the maximum amount...so not not too many, but, enough," Human Services Director Al Massey said when describing previous phases of state-funded supports; later he told the committee the recovery center needs additional paid leadership because "the volunteers are are growing tired." Massey said the full cost for a part-time executive director is about $40,000 and CCRP has other funding sources that would fill the gap beyond the county contribution.
Massey said he met with CCPR leadership before bringing the resolution and suggested stronger partnerships with local programs to increase ridership and community engagement. Committee members asked whether $7,000 was meaningful for a director role; one member noted the amount "isn't going to cover the part time executive director," and Massey confirmed the county allocation was intended as a partial contribution.
The committee seconded the resolution and carried it by voice vote. The motion authorizes the county to apply the designated opioid-abatement funds to staffing at CCPR; specific hiring timelines and the executive director’s hours were not specified in the meeting record.
