Four new opioid earmarks totaling $451,112 will be recommended to Luzerne County Council, the county’s Commission on Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement decided Wednesday.
Council has the final say on awards from the county’s share of the state’s settlement against opioid manufacturers and wholesale distributors. Allocations must comply with settlement fund eligibility protocols.
The recommended awards:
• Berwick Area Transitional Services — $40,000 to provide coordinated housing assistance, transportation support, employment stabilization services, and other help to Luzerne County residents seeking or in treatment and their immediate families.
• Dress for Success Luzerne County — $126,112 for the Strategies for Success program that helps women in recovery rebuild their lives.
• Guardian Angel — $160,000 to expand access to safe, licensed recovery housing and Certified Recovery Specialist services for women in the county.
• Restorative Roots — $125,000 to expand its state-licensed transitional housing beds for those with opioid use disorder.
Restorative Roots operates recovery houses in Edwardsville, Plymouth, and Wilkes-Barre.
Owner Joseph Aiello sought $605,500 and presented statistics to the commission in support of his argument that more beds are needed.
While commission members praised Restorative Roots’ work, they reduced the recommended earmark to $125,000 to ensure the growth in beds is proceeding at a sustainable level.
The commission also discussed a request to allocate $130,000 to the Dallas Township Police Department for a community narcotics-detection K-9 program.
The earmark would help fund the acquisition and training of the canine, the training of a handler, and the purchase of a specially equipped K-9 police vehicle, according to the submission.
Commission members expressed concerns the program would not meet opioid settlement fund eligibility requirements. They agreed to refer the matter to County Council along with a request for a legal determination on the eligibility.
The commission tabled the remaining agenda request from XT Enterprises/RecoverU because no representatives of that entity were in attendance Wednesday to answer questions. It is seeking $147,121 to support an existing licensed male recovery house and add another building, with property acquisition privately financed.
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Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.