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City Council Supports Project Hopes Request for Opioid Settlement Funds

Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 9:09 AM

Monday evening the Plymouth Common Council unanimously approved the request of Project Hope for the pledge the city’s Opioid Settlement money for 2022 and 2023 as the match for a grant.  

Ward Byers told the city council that Beacon Health System was awarded a grant in August 2020 from the Health Resources and Services Administration under the U.S. Department of Health. The 3-year grant was in the amount of $1,000,000 with funds being used to assemble and support a collaborative coalition within Marshall County to address opioid and substance abuse.  This grant award resulted in Project HOPE. Project HOPE is a consortium of 22 local organizations, led by Beacon Health System’s Community Impact team, with Project Director Donn Yoder.

Project partners use their collective strength to implement the consortium’s strategic plan and provide prevention, treatment and recovery services for those impacted by opioid and substance abuse. 

Byers explained that each municipality in the state was awarded opioid settlement funds.  He said the first two years, 2022 and 2023 have the largest payouts and they will steadily decline from their through 2038.  The funds given are restricted or abated and unrestricted.  The restricted funds have 15 pages of restrictions for use while the unrestricted funds can be used by the city in any way. 

Plymouth has received their 2022 funds in November and expect to receive their 2023 funds later in the year.  Byers told council members the city is scheduled to receive a total of $85,840.33 in total for 2022 and 2023.  He asked the City Council to pledge those funds to Project Hope.

Committee members Ward Byers, Linda Yoder from United Way, Sandy Dunfee from the Marshall County Health Department and Annette Haining from Breath Easy Marshall County attended the meeting in support of the request. 

Byers said the funds will be placed in the Marshall County Community Foundation and United Way will be seeking a one time, one to one match so if the city pledged their two years of funds their donation would ultimately total $171,680.33.  Byers told the Plymouth City Council that Bremen agreed to the request on Monday afternoon and LaPaz is on board as well.  Bourbon is looking favorable at the request.  He said they will be asking Culver for their opioid funds at their meeting tonight.

Project Hope uses funds for education, prevention and treatment. 

Monday evening the Plymouth Common Council approved a letter of intent to pledge their opioid settlement funds from 2022 and 2023 to be submitted with the grant application.   

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