In response to the 93 overdose deaths in Kent County back in 2023, the Kent County Board of Commissioners have approved a comprehensive plan for the first two years of investment of the opioid settlement funds allocated to Kent County.
To date, Kent County has received $4,698,866 of the total $19,075,917 in variable annual payments through 2038 as part of the stipulated settlements.
Specific funding areas for the first two years include:
· Expanding recovery coach services for those who dropped out of treatment and are at high risk of overdose: $200,000 per year
· Increasing funding for jail-based treatment programs to reduce the high prevalence of overdose after release from incarceration: $400,000 per year
· Enhancing community distribution of naloxone as a tool to reverse overdose: $30,000 per year
· Improving access to harm reduction tools, including fentanyl test strips: $10,000 per year
· Broadening evidence-based prevention curricula for middle and high school students: $125,000 in the second year
In a news release, Kent County Board of Commissioners Chair Stan Stek stated, "The opioid crisis has touched countless lives in our community, his spending plan is a critical first step in addressing the epidemic and providing much-needed resources to those affected, working towards a healthier community.”