VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — The Volusia County Council has approved $2.6 million in opioid abatement settlement funds to enhance prevention, treatment, emergency response, and recovery services across the community.
During its November 18 meeting, the Council allocated these funds to strengthen local efforts to save lives, connect residents to treatment sooner, and help families overcome the long-term effects of addiction.
The funding will support expanded treatment and recovery options for individuals and families impacted by opioid use, prevention and outreach programs that educate youth and adults about the dangers of opioids and the help available, emergency response enhancements such as lifesaving equipment and training for first responders, and community education efforts to raise awareness of local resources and reduce stigma surrounding addiction and recovery.
This round of funding was part of a competitive application process in which more than 15 organizations sought support for their initiatives. Applications were reviewed and scored by the County’s Opioid Abatement Advisory Board during its October meeting, with recommendations presented to the County Council for final approval.
The Council awarded funding to nine entities, including AdventHealth DeLand, the City of DeLand, the City of Holly Hill, Halifax Hospital Medical Center, Law Enforcement Against Drugs and Violence (L.E.A.D.), Live, Love, Life Inc., SMA Healthcare, Volusia Recovery Alliance, and Volusia County’s Community Information Division. Collectively, their initiatives will expand hospital-based treatment, peer recovery support, public education, youth prevention, and emergency response capabilities across the county.
The funding comes from the Opioid Regional Settlement Fund, which consists of dollars the County receives through statewide legal settlements with opioid manufacturers, distributors, and related companies. This marks the fourth round of opioid settlement awards approved by the County Council. In the previous three rounds, the County Council approved more than $7.4 million to support local organizations working to combat the opioid epidemic. With this award cycle incorporated, the total approved opioid settlement funding now exceeds $10 million across the community.
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