Forsyth County Commissioners this week agreed to allot over a million dollars to programs aimed at addressing the opioid epidemic. The money comes from a multi-million dollar state settlement with drug distributors and manufacturers.
Under the agreement, the county will receive nearly $20 million over an 18-year period. On Thursday, commissioners agreed to distribute the first chunk of that: about $1.3 million.
It will be distributed to seven different organizations to fund a variety of services including recovery support groups and medication assisted treatment programs. It will also pay for supplies like harm reduction kits and the overdose antidote Naloxone.
Denise Price, Forsyth County’s behavioral health services director, says they sought out support from community stakeholders to determine how the money should be spent.
“Our goal is to 18 years from now not look back and see that we're in the same place," says Price. "We need traction.”
Price says the next round of funding will likely come up for a commission vote late this summer.