Charleston County Government today announced that it has received about $900,000 as part of a $26 billion-dollar national opioid settlement. They said the money will be spent on expanding treatment and prevention programs, which include but are not limited to:
- Increasing the distribution of Narcan to individuals who are uninsured or whose insurance does not cover the drug
- Expanding training for first responders, community support groups, schools, and families
- Increasing access to care at the Charleston Center by expanding services and hiring additional staff to include peer support specialists, a full-time pharmacist, a part time certified nurse assistant, part time lab technicians, and a clinical counselor
- Attending national drug conferences to get the latest research, best practices, and initiatives related to the opioid epidemic
- Creating a comprehensive dashboard to help identify needs within the community, support training, and help with future short and long-term initiatives related to opioid abatement
- Engaging in a Sequential Intercept Mapping process to identify gaps and opportunities to improve resources and responses for individuals with an opioid use disorder
“Over the last few years, Charleston County has seen a significant increase in accidental overdose deaths,” said Charleston Center Director Dr. Chanda Funcell. “This settlement funding will help Charleston County better fight this crisis and bring more awareness about key programs and resources designed to help individuals and families battling addiction.”
