MARSHALL COUNTY — The Plymouth Common Council unanimously approved a letter of support to commit the unrestricted and the abated funds from the 2022 and 2023 Opioid Settlement in the anticipated two-year total amount of $85,840.33 to Marshall County’s Project HOPE.
The Project HOPE Consortium, made possible through federal grant funding, was established three years ago. The goal of Project HOPE is to provide a continuum of services for overall Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Prevention for individuals and families; along with easily accessed treatment options and support systems for successful recovery for those already struggling.
Project HOPE provides comprehensive services and coordinated access to opioid / substance use prevention, treatment and recovery resources at no-cost in Marshall County.
That initial grant funding will expire in August 2023. Their critical work will now continue thanks to the committed support of the Opioid Settlement Funds from participating communities within Marshall County.
Representatives from various organizations were present during the meeting to share information and answer questions including Director of Marshall County Community Foundation and United Way Linda Yoder, Tobacco Education Coordinator for Marshall County Annette Haining, Marshall County Health Department Public Health Nurse Sandy Dunfee, and Director of Marshall County Community Corrections Ward Byers.
The timely commitment from towns and cities in Marshall County qualifies the organization to apply for additional one-time matched grant funding in the amount of $1 for $1 from the Family of Social Services Administration. Only funding from 2022 and 2023 qualify for that matching grant application. Plymouth’s commitment of $85,840.33 would double to $171,680.66 if approved by the State Agency.
According to Byers, Bremen also approved support Monday evening, Lapaz was “on board”, and Bourbon was “in favorable mode to do the same thing”. Culver would be approached Tuesday evening during their regular meeting. Though the request for the funding was for 2022 and 2023, communities are welcome to continue to designate their Opioid Settlement Funds through 2038 which is the final disbursement.
Project HOPE Consortium will still make decisions on the use of the funds while the Marshall County United Way will serve as the fiscal agent. Entrusting the abated funding to Project HOPE affirms proper use; the funding contains 18 pages of restrictions. Yoder confirmed that the team has reviewed all of those restrictions in detail and that Project HOPE will meet the requirements of intended use for the funding.
Byers said, “The interesting thing about these dollars – and we looked at it in Bourbon, in Bremen, and the other communities – the restricted dollars are so restricted that there is not any necessary programs – there’s not any programs that the communities already have set up as a governmental agency for those dollars to go to. So – the agencies that partner with communities such as Bowen Center and recovery homes and everything that we are doing in Marshall County and have been doing for the last three years is directly in line with these restricted dollars so it makes sense to us.” Byers said that Yoder has been working diligently on the grant and the team has hope to see matched support from the State of Indiana.
Haining confirmed that Project HOPE Consortium addresses all addictions, at all age levels. She emphasized the importance of education and intervention for students in Marshall County – unhealthy behaviors including vaping begin as early as middle school and high school. A program called Remedy Live has been created through the Project HOPE Consortium to offer educational and preventative resources to students. Statistics are also being collected in the areas of mental health concerns, potential abuse, and the use of substances; that data will be used to focus efforts in areas of most need.
According to Project HOPE literature provided during the meeting, prevention services include but are not limited to family counseling and education sessions, trauma training sessions, Naloxone training and resources, drug take back resources, intervention and educational resources for students across Marshall County, and screening and support for individuals at risk of developing a SUD.
Treatment services include but are not limited to coordinated SUD services across clinics, hospitals and mental health providers. The Consortium has also provided additional training for medical professionals, law enforcement officers, and first responders who serve individuals struggling with SUD/ and Opioid Use Disorder (OUD).
Recovery services include a Recovery Coordinator-Navigator to help answer questions about services and help access care, referrals, support and resources.
They also help assist individuals leaving in-patient facilities or the Marshall County Jail to access resources for affordable housing, employment, transportation and therapy.
The organization also provides Peer Recovery Coaches to mentor and advocate for long term recovery on a one-to-one basis.
Project HOPE strives to form and strengthen partnerships with agencies, organizations, churches and other resources throughout Marshall County to help individuals in their recovery journey including the funding of transportation vouchers through the Marshall County Council on Aging.
Council member Jeff Houin emphasized that the Project HOPE Consortium is appropriate use of the funding and hoped that the support would help promote the organization and provide exposure throughout the community.
Individuals who are need of the support provided by Project HOPE should call 574-216-3459, email projecthopemarshall@gmail.com, or go to Facebook @ ProjectHOPEMarshallCounty.
