UCHRA Exec Director Planning Summit Over Opioid Settlement Money

UCHRA Executive Director Mark Farley said he wants to plan a regional opioid summit on how to spend opioid abatement money.

Farley said a lot of communities are already receiving payments from court settlements. Farley said the summit would review how the money can be used.

“One of the things that we want to make sure is that our mayors understand what is all needed and what all services are out there, so they can make an informed decision on how they administer the funds,” Farley said.

Farley said the money must be used for substance abuse services. Farley said he plans to have a panel like conversation with professionals across the region to show leaders what is available.

“Hopefully that will start the discussion,” Farley said. “The goal is to have one for our region where we bring in experts across the region. Hopefully that will spur our mayors to go back and have county-wide meetings to work in their own individual communities.”

Farley said by doing this, he hopes counties and cities learn where the gaps are in their community. Farley said an official date has not been decided on, but he wants to host the summit in late January.

“We should be sending something our fairly soon on that,” Farley said.