Commissioners distribute opioid funds to Salvation Army, growth council
Lawrence County Commissioners distributed opioid settlement funds to two organizations on Monday.
Commissioner Dustin Gabhart, President Wally Branham, and Vice President Rodney Fish voted to distribute $30,000 each to the Salvation Army and the Lawrence County Economic Growth Council’s career development program.
The council provides high school equivalency courses, job fairs, and skills classes in health sciences and other skills-based jobs provided through Vincennes University. It also introduces those looking for skills to job opportunities.
The funds are from a $507 million disbursement in compensation involving a multiple-state lawsuit against manufacturers and distributors of OxyContin. Purdue Pharma was implicated, as well as Cardinal Health, McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, and Johnson and Johnson for distributing opioid painkillers.
The settlement terms, which totaled $26 billion, state 70% of the funds are to go to Indiana’s Family and Social Services Administration, and 15% are to go to counties like Lawrence.
Lawrence County has received approximately $412,000. Distributions have been made to local agencies and organizations like the Men’s Warming Shelter, the Lawrence County Jail and sheriff’s department, the probation department at Becky’s Place, and the Hope Resource Center. Families Forever received the most money, at $88,290.00, according to figures sent to The Times-Mail.
Contracts for child support reimbursements and updating website
Other business covered at the meeting included the county commissioners signing a contract with Dossett Consulting that reimburses the county for expenses related to child support.
“This helps the county reimburse all child support expenses,” said Auditor Paula Stewart, “and I mean all expenses.”
The county has used the consulting group for 12 years, according to Stewart. The group provides resources for Title IV-D Child Support Reimbursement of clerks, courts, and other financial consulting services for child services.
Finally, the commissioners approved spending on a new county website provided by Civic Plus, a Kansas-based technology company that works with governments.
“The old website is outdated and obsolete,” said Lawrence County Administrative Director Travis Sanders.
The website will include meeting agendas, regulations, records requests, community development, and social media archiving.
The next commissioners meeting will be May 21 at 9:30 a.m.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Lawrence County Indiana allocates opioid settlement funds
