The Marshall County Commissioners heard from Marshall County Superior Court No. 3 Judge Matthew Sarber and from Marshall County Community Foundation and United Way Director Linda Yoder, who also is on the Marshall County Crossroads Health and Wellness Committee, concerning the support of funds toward Project HOPE.
The request was for the 2022 and 2023 Opioid Settlement Restricted Funds to be used to continue the work done by Project HOPE.
Project HOPE provides comprehensive services and coordinated access to opioid/substance use prevention, treatment and recovery resources at no-cost in Marshall County.
Project HOPE began about three years ago and was funded through a federal grant that is set to expire in August 2023. It is the goal of Project HOPE representatives that the restricted funds distributed to the Marshall County communities from the Opioid Settlement of the major manufacturers and distributors of highly addictive prescription medications can be used as a way to continue to offer the critical programs to those in the criminal justice system or residents who are seeking a life without substance abuse.
The funds will also be used as a dollar-for-dollar match for a Family and Social Services Administration grant to double the dollars for this worthy program.
Yoder said $274,348.19 has been released to support Project HOPE and they applied for $346,424.46 for the FSSA grant. The funds help support transportation and four Peer Recovery coaches. Yoder noted that one additional component the Project HOPE Sustainability Committee has been discussing for years is a Recovery Café.
“It’s an alcohol-free location for those that are in recovery and their families where they have a place to gather,” commented Yoder. “The idea would be that they identify as a group what kinds of resources they want to bring in and the director for this program would find those resources and make those kinds of things happen for them. We think that’s a real key part. It is a national program and they’ve had great success with that in other areas.”
They will look at attempting to start that component this year. The main focus is continuing the key measures that are assisting those in need, including the importance of Peer Recovery coaches.
The commissioners unanimously approved a motion to provide the county’s 2022 and 2023 Opioid Settlement Restricted Fund $116,097.44. Commissioner Kevin Overmyer was not in attendance during Monday’s meeting.
