Lexington County has millions to spend on the opioid crisis. How’s it being used?
Lexington County is looking for ways to spend $2.3 million in money from an opioid settlement.
The county council on Tuesday approved funding requests from various agencies to combat drug abuse in Lexington County, from equestrian therapy to making sure those struggling with addiction can make it to their appointments.
Lexington County Council forwarded the request to the board that manages the S.C. Opioid Recovery Fund, which oversees the multi-million dollar settlements the state has received from opioid litigation.
The county is entitled to around $17 million in payments from drug manufacturers and pharmacies resulting from the opioid epidemic, to be paid out over a 20-year period. Lexington County currently has about $5 million available for drug abatement services in the state opioid fund.
“We’re trying not to spend it all up front,” Council Chairman Darrell Hudson said at Tuesday’s meeting. “We want to make it last 20 years.”
Lawsuits have been brought by multiple states against drug producers in recent years in hopes of holding them responsible for the harms caused by opioid addictions and overdose deaths, litigation that is still paying out. At this week’s council meeting, members also approved a $70,000 settlement from an additional group of pharmacy chains.
Council members approved the money with the caveat that they would like to see regular reporting back to the county on how opioid funds are being spent, especially as some of the requesting agencies cover wider areas.
“We want to make sure this is being spent in Lexington County,” Hudson said.
The largest amount of funding, nearly $1 million, will go to the Courage Center, a private drug rehab facility that will use the money to improve counseling, training and residential services. The Courage Center will also seek to add a specialist to the public defender’s office and review past overdose deaths to produce “data-drive prevention strategies” to improve the county’s drug response, according to an application for funding.
Another half-million dollars will go to the Lexington-Richland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council. On top of funding its treatment and counseling services and the purchase of more medication, LRADAC wants to push more outreach and education programs in schools and community organizations.
The city of Cayce will use $421,000 on various pre-existing partnerships for treatment and prevention efforts. The municipality will also provide support for Hoof Beat Ranch, an equestrian therapy program, and for Recovery Rides, which provides transportation assistance for people in recovery to make meetings and appointments.
Cayce is the only municipal government on the application list, but two other county agencies will receive the remaining money. The Eleventh Circuit Solicitor’s Office also wants to use $200,000 to ensure subjects make appointments in its drug court program.
“This initiative aims to improve completion rates and promote successful recovery by ensuring individuals who lack reliable transportation can consistently access required court, treatment, and support appointments,” the application says.
The Lexington County Coroner’s Office will take the remaining $170,000 to cover a part-time prevention coordinator, as well as a digital sign to display public health information at the coroner’s office building and advertising at the Lexington County Blowfish Stadium.
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