Hancock Commission amends opioid settlement funding measures

NEW CUMBERLAND - Hancock County commissioners amended aspects of two of the county’s opioid funding allocations Friday, including a change in the planned use of funding for Family Care Ministries while still providing the organization with an allotment of $500,000.

Commissioners voted 2-1, with Commissioner Tommy Ogden dissenting, in favor of the amendment.

"I’d like to request more information," Ogden said. "Is this based on the letter we received? Is the amount staying the $500,000?"

Commission President Eron Chek replied there was no other information beyond what was submitted in the request from Family Care Ministries.

In a letter dated Oct. 12 and signed by Family Care President Josh Lytle, an amendment to the approved use of the funds was requested.

"The original construction-specific language has created burdensome implementation requirements and delayed access to the approved funding," the letter notes. "This amendment would allow us to serve individuals and families affected by opioid use and addiction."

As part of the amendment, the funding will now go to substance use avoidance and awareness education, substance use prevention programs and support for recovery from addition, all through Family Care’s existing services which include a non-clinical faith-based residential program.

Family Care Ministries initially had requested $800,000 from the county’s allotment of opioid funding to assist with the construction of a new 40-bed male residential facility in Chester. After several months of discussion, commissioners agreed to a total of $500,000 - a combination of an initial $100,000 award and an additional $400,000 approved in May.

"When I read the letter, it looks like the construction project is off. We awarded 500 grand based on that construction project," Ogden said. "The capacity to help people doesn’t really increase. I don’t know why the amount would stay the same. I’m worried about financial oversight and making sure this money stays in West Virginia and in particular helps Hancock County residents."

Ogden said, if the building project is not moving forward, then the commission should reconsider the amount to be awarded, suggesting instead an allotment of $100,000.

This could free up some of the funding to allow other organizations, as well as Family Care, if needed, to seek an allocation of the funds made available as a result of legal settlements between the state and various producers and distributors of pharmaceutical opioids.

"We could also have other rounds of funding they could apply for," Ogden said.

Chek, however, would not allow for Ogden to offer an amendment to the original motion for passage.

"You don’t have a motion to amend. Commissioner Cowey has a motion on the floor," Chek said, referring to Commissioner Paul Cowey’s initial motion for approval of the matter.

In August, commissioners voted to hire the firm of Tucker Arensberg to serve as outside legal counsel - at a reported rate of $275 per hour at 54.4 hours of work – in the development of a memorandum of understanding for the Family Care Ministries project. Commissioners, in August, voted down a proposal to allocate funding for that contract, with no public decision made on how the cost of those legal services will be covered.

Commissioners also made another adjustment to its previous opioid allocations, amending the county’s memorandum of understanding with Bless This Child Ministries Inc.

Commissioners previously approved $19,300 from the opioid funds which would be provided to the Chester-based organization; however, an adjustment was needed as the organization had obtained its own non-profit status.

Funds are to be used for camp tuition, transportation assistance, life skills classes, family betterment nights and materials for ongoing programs offered for area youth.

This measure was approved unanimously.

Bless This Child Ministries previously had been a part of the Brooke-Hancock Family Resource Network, relying on the organization for its grant funding. In September, officials with the Family Resource Network announced the organization had ceased operations and was under investigation for financial inconsistencies.

(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com)