COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – It’s a $2 million infusion into the battle over substance abuse in Lexington County. Five different groups, each focused on opioid recovery, will share the money.
It’s a small fraction of the over $360 million South Carolina received as part of a nationwide settlement with three of the largest pharmaceutical drug distributors in 2022. That money will be disbursed to counties and municipalities through the South Carolina Opioid Recovery Board.
Lexington County received $16 million, which can be used over the next 20 years. Groups within the county can request funding quarterly, with the recent request fulfilled just this month.
“It’s like anything else, to do what you really need to do, it takes money. The money from hits lawsuit settlement is coming in, and we are going to put it back out to the people who are going to expand services,” said Ted Luckadoo, the Lexington County Deputy County Administrator
The town of Lexington police department was granted $432,000 to purchase and operate a mobile opioid abatement classroom that will be taken to schools and community events to teach youth about the dangers of opioid abuse. The mobile classroom will be used county-wide wide not just within the town of Lexington.
The Cayce fire department received $309,000 to help build up an equine therapy program that uses small therapy horses for people in treatment or recovery. The money will be used to purchase a new trailer, which will accommodate more horses for transport and a bigger truck. The department hopes to pay for a mini-documentary on drug prevention, coloring books, and would assist with needed training for a mental health team member and an equine professional.
County documents show the Courage Center was given the most funding, with $564,500 to help pay for its free services, including recovery specialists and counselors. In addition, the Courage Center will also be funding and expanding its program with the Lexington Medical Center.
“If someone suffers an overdose and they are transported to the emergency department by Lexington EMS one of our coaches, we work with the social team and the doctors, one of our coaches will probably be in the department to meet that person within 30-40 minutes of the overdose”, said Randy Rush the executive director of the Courage Center
The Lexington County Coroner’s Office will use its funding, $174,700, to help fund a part-time staff member dedicated to an opioid prevention and training program. They will also pay for educational materials and videos for youth-based programs across the county and for research and data collection on opioid prescriptions, according to the request.
Lastly, the Lexington/Richland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council (LRADAC) will hire three new outreach and engagement staff and three recovery support specialists using their approved $389,655. The money will also be used to fund technology, cell phones, and mileage reimbursement for new staff, according to county documents.
The request also includes funding for technology, cell phones, mileage reimbursement for new staff, and vouchers for transportation to treatment facilities.
“If you buy a pill and it’s not prescribed by your doctor, if you think it’s a Percocet or a Xanax or whatever and you got it from someone other than your doctor, you are putting your life at risk by taking that pill,” Rush said.
Six months into the year, Lexington County is reporting 38 overdose deaths. That’s compared to 82 for the entire year of 2023, according to the most recent data published by the South Carolina Department of Public Health.
“The funds are being put towards prevention, treatment, and recovery. That’s the three areas of focus for SCORF and the three areas of focus for Lexington County if we can start young and try to prevent and help the youth understand the impact of opioid abuse, then we have achieved success, said Luckadoo.
Deaths caused by overdose are the lowest they’ve been in the last five years in both Lexington and Richland County, according to LRADAC. Luckadoo told WIS they have already worked towards plans for their next request, which will be submitted soon.
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