White County Commissioners approved allocating a total of $200,000 in opioid abatement funds to support local organizations and programs tackling the crisis.
County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson said the funds must be used to help with the opioid issues in the county, as they are from a federal lawsuit and not taxpayer dollars. A constituent asked that fund allocations be tabled until uses for the funds from each program publicly state what the funds will be used for. Robinson said the funds are reimbursement funds and that the county already reviews how the funds are spent.
“They will send the receipts to us, we will check them to make sure it falls within the parameters of the application that they put in, and if it’s not, the money will not be reimbursed,” Robinson said.
Robinson said the budget committee has reviewed and approved the allocations. A Tennessee Community Services Agency representative assured public transparency, as the White County Family Treatment Program is required to provide quarterly reports.
“Everything we do, we have to talk about what the impact it has and what services, as well as the number of individuals,” The representative said. “Now we talk about kids, so we can’t release certain information about individuals, but we are required to give a number and where this money is going and how it is spent.”
Robinson said Opioid Abatement Funds are allocated to local organizations and programs that apply to receive the funds. Robinson said each qualified applicant received at least some sort of funding.
The Tennessee Community Services Agency received an estimated $50,000, Seeds of Hope will receive an estimated $49,500, South Central TN Workforce Alliance will also receive an estimated $49,500, The White County Anti-Drug Coalition will receive an estimated $49,000, and the White County Sheriff’s Office will receive an estimated $2,000.
The commission unanimously approved the allocation of funds.