Virginia Tech study prompts Smith County to adopt annual opioid awareness day

Shannon Simpson, central region coordinator for the Co Project at Virginia Tech, presented results of a Tri‑County seed study (Smith, Halifax and Prince Edward counties) conducted from 2023 to 2025 that gathered input from 112 Smith County residents and stakeholders. Simpson said the community-developed strategies include stronger community awareness and education, free community classes on addiction, expanded treatment and recovery services, judicial and policy changes to reduce incarceration for people needing treatment, improved transportation for court-ordered recovery activities and childcare at larger treatment sites to enable parents to seek care. "We started this study in 2023 and, and finished it in 2025," Simpson told the board.

The presentation concluded with a proposed resolution to organize and recognize an Opioid and Substance Abuse Awareness Day in Smith County. The reading of the resolution (speaker 8) declared support for establishing an annual observance on September 21 and urged collaboration among local governments, health-care providers, law enforcement, schools and community organizations. The board moved, seconded, and adopted the resolution unanimously. As read aloud in the packet, "Now, therefore, be it resolved that the board of supervisors of Smith County of Virginia hereby declares its support for the established establishment of an opioid and substance abuse awareness day to be observed on September 21 annually within the county."

Simpson said staff will leave pamphlets and materials for dissemination and encouraged formation of community action teams; the board and staff discussed folding resources into existing local groups rather than creating parallel structures. No fiscal appropriation was made at adoption; the resolution is a policy statement and a commitment to encourage awareness activities and partnerships.