In a recent push against the opioid crisis, the Douglas County Commissioners have decided to fund local entities that aim to mitigate the repercussions wrought by substance abuse. As reported by Douglas County, during a Business Meeting on Tuesday, they granted awards to two organizations dedicated to providing recovery services and fostering sober-living communities for individuals reclaiming their lives from addiction.
HardBeauty received a substantial sum of $567,069.90 to back their Peer Support Initiative. According to the details shared, the plan is to place peer support recovery specialists in strategic locations such as the Douglas County Jail and Sky Ridge Medical Center. These specialists will tend to those grappling with substance use, intended to create a direct impact. Voted by the county commissioners, $226,647.76 of this fund emanates from an Opioid Settlement Infrastructure Grant, provided by the Colorado Opioid Abatement Council.
Valley Hope of Parker wasn’t left behind with a grant of $100,000 awarded for their Patient Essential funds. This money is earmarked to alleviate the financial burden for residential patients as they transition into sober-living environments. Commissioner Abe Laydon, who also serves as the chair of the Douglas County Opioid Council, recognized the relentless effort of these organizations. "We are humbled and proud to be able to help these outstanding organizations expand this important work," he articulated concerning the funding, as per Douglas County.
Reflecting the widespread impact of addiction, City Pines Councilman and co-chair of the Douglas County Opioid Council, Roger Hudson, commented on the communal nature of the struggle against opioid abuse. "The pain of addiction does not discriminate; it knows no boundaries, and it affects all of us," he conveyed the sentiment, as obtained by Douglas County, underscoring the necessity of collective action in educating, preventing, and treating addiction.
Back in 2021, Colorado's settlement with opioid manufacturers and distributors laid the groundwork for such funding decisions. Since its formation, the Douglas County Opioid Council has been at the forefront, channeling the funds from the settlement into local programs aimed at curbing the tide of addiction while bolstering treatment, recovery, and wellness.
