Adams County Board increases spending of opioid settlement funds

QUINCY — Adams County is now getting a steady stream of funding from the 2021 opioid lawsuit settlement and the County Board is implementing those dollars.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, the board approved spending $177,000 on two programs to help combat addiction issues.

Opioid manufacturers and distributors offered a “master settlement” in 2021 to resolve lawsuits brought against them for false marketing and commercial distribution as non-habit-forming medicines. The total opioid settlement funds obligated to states, counties and cities are more than $50 billion as of July 2023.

Adams County is a participant in this settlement and expects to receive $1.5 million or more over the next decade to address the impacts of the epidemic.

The County Board has created the Adams County Opioid Settlement Fund Committee comprised of content experts and governmental representatives to administer opioid settlement funds distributed to the county.

Committee Chair Bob Reich (R-District 5) said the county is spending the money for what is was intended and said any new programs will be evaluated for their effectiveness. Should the County decide to continue them, additional grants and supplemental funding will be sought out for when the settlement money ends

The county will spend $163,000 on a paramedicine program that will be under the umbrella of the Adams County Ambulance. Paramedicine programs are becoming more prevalent in rural areas as a way to provide a faster response to calls. The money will fund two positions for a year.

Thirteen staffers who are part of the county’s Problem Solving Court will participate in a training program in Florida and $14,000 of settlement funds will be used to cover some of those costs.

The Board also heard a report from the Adams County Bicentennial Commission about events planned throughout 2025 to celebrate the anniversary of the county’s founding. The first major event is a “Bicentennial Bash” which will be held this Saturday at The Armory. Tickets for the event have been sold out.

Board Chairman Bret Austin also accepted the resignation of Theresa Bockhold (R-District 7) after 16 years of service to the county. She said she wants to spend more time with her nine grandchildren.

The Adams County GOP Central Committee will recommend a name to finish the last two years of Bockhold’s term and the Board will vote on the replacement once that recommendation is made.

The Central Committee is also under new leadership as Dave Bockhold, Theresa’s husband, has resigned the position of chairman. Jon McCoy, who is a District 5 County Board member, is the new chairman for the Adams County Republicans.

Dave Bockhold said the timing was good so he can assist Theresa with grandparent duties and he said McCoy’s appointment is a good choice and was pleased McCoy was willing to takeover party leadership duties.