The Craven County Sheriff’s Office has received almost $1 million in federal grant funding to expand their services for inmates with substance abuse problems.
During the August 7 meeting of the Craven County Board of Commissioners, Major David McFadyen announced that the department has been granted a total of $970,757 from the federal Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant and Substance Abuse Site-Based Program.
The funds will be dispersed over three years, McFadyen said. The initial allotment of $306,623 was approved by commissioners Monday in a budget amendment for the current fiscal year.
According to McFadyen, the grant consists of three contract services, the largest being a contract with HOPE Recovery Homes in Carteret County. In addition to substance abuse recovery, the 6-month program provides job placement and self-care training for inmates. He said the program will be providing nine beds per year to house inmates from Craven County jail, who will wear ankle monitors while receiving treatment.
McFadyen said as of Monday there were 13 Craven County inmates being treated at HOPE Recovery Homes and that the goal was to eventually provide 18 beds for local inmates at the facility.
The grant will also provide for three peer support specialists to work in the Craven County Jail with the inmate population to help deal with substance abuse issues, McFadyen explained. Part of the grant will provide for clinical assessments of inmates to be done in the facility by a licensed assessment clinician. He said the sheriff’s office has contracted with a local individual who has worked in the department of corrections in other states and dealt with similar issues.
McFadyen said the third contract will be for a grant administrator who will oversee and supervise the provision of the services provided for under the grant.
“We’re looking at a lot of community-based services, both with non-profits and especially our partnership with Craven Community College, which has been a tremendous asset,” McFadyen commented. “We now have a GED program in the Craven County detention facility…We’re trying to stem the tide of recidivism.”
According to information provided as part of the grant process, Craven County is ranked as one of the highest counties in the state for overdose deaths. The county’s overdose death rate in 2021 was 56.4 per 100,000 residents, significantly higher than the state’s rate of 34.1. According to the NC Department of Health and Human Services Opioid Dashboard, in 2020 Craven County saw a rate of 190.9 overdose emergency department (ED) visits compared to the state rate of 142.5, representing a 75% increase in ED visits in Craven County since 2018.
The grant information states, “Drug overdose is one of the leading causes of death among people recently released from incarceration. Craven County has established programs and initiatives at multiple intercept points to address substance abuse among the justice-involved population. Still, there continues to be a lack of services for individuals during incarceration, and post-release.”
By Todd Wetherington, co-editor. Send an email with questions or comments.