Regional agencies will share in the first round of County allocation of opioid settlement funding
information released
Chelan County is distributing $524,745 in grants from opiod settlement funding. The money will be shared by the Chelan County Regional Justice Center, Chelan County Superior Court and the Center for Drug and Alcohol Treatment in Wenatchee.
In addition, Douglas County is looking to contribute some of its opioid settlement dollars to the Regional Justice Center, while both counties are joining the City of Wenatchee in providing funding to the Center for Drug and Alcohol Treatment.
“By joining efforts with Douglas County and the City of Wenatchee, on programs that benefit our communities, these funds will go further in fighting opioid abuse and its devastating effects on people,” Chelan County Commissioner Kevin Overbay said. “At Chelan County, we hope to have a second round of grant opportunities this fall to distribute those dollars even further in our communities.”
In a settlement with five companies that produced or sold opioids across the country, the Washington State and 125 eligible local governments will share in $371.8 million. Chelan County has received about $1.1 million of its settlement share so far.
As a result of the settlement, Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan counties, along with the cities of East Wenatchee, Wenatchee and Moses Lake, formed the North Central Washington Opioid Abatement Council.
In Chelan County, a call for projects that fight substance use disorder, with a focus on opioid and fentanyl use and addiction, was made last fall. Eighteen applications were received from a variety of governmental, nonprofit and private programs in the community.
The awards are:
Chelan County Regional Justice Center: Settlement dollars from both Chelan and Douglas counties, combined with money from the counties’ risk pool, will pay for the installation of 44 medical sensors in the county jail. The medical sensors, installed in single-occupancy booking and detoxing cells, detect rapid changes in breathing and pulse rates. The jail already has 24 sensors installed, so the additional opioid settlement funding will bring the total to 68 sensors. The grant also will be used to pay for subscription costs for the next five years. Total allocation between the two entities is $359,400.
Chelan County Superior Court: Settlement dollars will be used in several already established programs in Superior Court. Money will be used to pay for a half-time Therapeutic Court/Recovery Support coordinator. Another $10,650 will be used for transitional, or temporary, funding for clean and sober housing for the Chelan County Adult Drug Court participants. And $6,000 is allocated for drug testing for post-treatment Adult Drug Court participants. The grant total is $58,141.
Center for Drug and Alcohol Treatment: A mix of settlement dollars from the City of Wenatchee and Douglas and Chelan counties will be used to pay for a variety of needs at the center. Monies will provide for a full-time mental health provider ($173,700 over two years), a part-time physical health provider ($164,000 over two years) and a one-time purchase of a new patient transport vehicle ($76,000). Total allocation between the three entities is $413,700.
