Hamilton County announces plans to fight opioid crisis

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — The State of Tennessee is providing Hamilton County with millions of dollars of funding as part of Opioid Abatement Settlement Funds.

On Thursday, Hamilton County officials announced their plans on how to use these funds. The county said they will receive the funding over the next 18 years. They also plan to apply for additional funding through the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council.

Hamilton County Governor Weston Wamp says the county will partner with local nonprofits to support prevention, rehabilitation and law enforcement efforts to deter drug dealers.

Here is how Hamilton County is using those funds to fight the opioid epidemic:

Mayor Wamp allocated funds to the district attorney’s office to hire a chief opioid prosecutor, who will hold drug dealers accountable. Attorney General Coty Wamp hired Jamie Pulido as the chief opioid prosecutor, who will work closely with narcotics investigators.

Mayor Wamp also set aside funds to hire a social counselor at the Hamilton County Health Department. This counselor will serve in the Parents as Teachers program. The counselor will visit home and offer services to families with parents who suffer from addiction and dependency.

The county will use $250,000 to expand the re-entry program at the Hamilton County Jail. A former Highway Department building will now be used to house programs such as cosmetology, electrical, welding and carpentry. Enrollment for those programs will begin around September.

Hamilton County will use funds to launch a Medication-Assisted Treatment pilot program for jail inmates. It will help those who suffer with substance misuse by providing them medical assistance, counseling and behavioral therapy.

County government officials are also creating an overdose alert system, which will notify the public when there is a spike in overdoses in the community. The mayor’s office is working alongside the medical examiner’s office, emergency services and the health department. They plan to distribution this information quickly so that friends and families of users are aware of the increase in drugs locally.

The mayor has also put aside $500,000 for a Community Response Grant, which will be available to local organizations that are working to combat the opioid crisis. Mayor Wamp’s office and county commissioners will identify the organizations in need of the support. Groups will submit applications for approval of funding.

“With millions of dollars coming to Hamilton County over the next couple of decades, we have a moral and ethical obligation to be as aggressive and creative as possible in combating the crisis of opioid abuse across Hamilton County,” said Mayor Wamp. “I want Hamilton County to be the worst place in America to sell fentanyl and other deadly drugs. County government will lead the charge, partnered with local nonprofits, to support prevention, rehabilitation, and law enforcement efforts aimed at deterring drug dealers in our community.”