Commissioners updated on Marshall County HOPE (formerly Project HOPE)
MARSHALL COUNTY — Thomas Kinnaird, Director of Marshall County HOPE (formerly Project HOPE) appeared before the Commissioners to provide an update on the organization and what previous funding and currently requested funding has been and will be used for. Project HOPE / Marshall County HOPE received $100,715.58 in 2023 which was the entirety of the Opioid Restricted Funds. In 2024 the Commissioners have recommended to pay $115,618.25 but there needs to be a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) approved and an additional appropriation before Marshall County moves forward with that payment.
Kinnaird acknowledged that there are 15 pages of documentation illustrating what the Restricted Opioid Funds can be used. for. He explained to the Commissioners that the two main uses for funding from the Project HOPE days that Marshall County HOPE definitely wants to continue are Peer Recovery Coach services and public transportation services.
The two current Peer Recovery Coaches are Skye Vickers and Jessica Joseph. From October 2020 to present; 273 individuals in recovery have been served by Peer Recovery Coaches. according to Kinnaird those services are no cost to the individual in recovery due to the funding that has been allocated. The individuals do not need to be insured or provide any form of payment.
Purchasing vouchers for transportation are purchased from the Marshall County Council on aging. Since the first ride in May 2021 to present day 2,295 rides have been provided to individuals who are on their journey to recovery.
Previous funding has also been used for other initiatives including Remedylive in schools dealing with substance use, suicide and other mental health topics. according to remedylive.com, “Remedylive was born from a deep desire to connect with those in their darkest moment. Founded in 2006 by Clinton Faupel, who himself battled mental health issues as a child, our organization emerged as a lifeline for those navigating the turbulent waters of emotional distress. Clinton’s vision was clear: to create a judgment-free space where people could come out of their secret struggle to see and feel the importance of a meaningful conversation.” The organization offered in-person seminars for adults and students to advocate for and teach the importance of mental health and reduce the stigma in each culture. The organization also provides an online crisis chat facilitated by trained Soulmedics.
Marshall County HOPE is currently working with Purdue Extension implementing Taking action to address Substance Use (TASC). Taken from extension.purdue.edu: “Taking action to address Substance Use in Communities has been developed by a team of health professionals and Extension professionals from Purdue University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-champaign, and The Ohio State University to provide a theoretical framework for Extension professionals as they work with communities to create a collaborative approach to addressing substance use disorder. The waning and irregular access to treatment providers in rural areas, combined with a need to increase efforts to help individuals with SUD enter recovery, call for community-based approaches which increase collaboration among community organizations and individuals involved with substance use
prevention, treatment, and recovery support.”
Kinnaird also leads the Suicide and Overdose Fatality Review (SOFR) initiative. The committee is made up of people from across Marshall County that reviews individual cases of people who have died from suicide or overdose, they review the available data to create a timeline of the individual’s life, and try to identify gaps in care to prevent further loss of life to deaths of despair.
Commissioner Kevin Overmyer asked how many counties across the state that Bowen Center is involved in. Kinnaird answered, “Lots.”
Overmyer asked what the other counties have done with their funding. Kinnaird answered, “I don’t have knowledge myself of this kind of work being done in any other county. We have a couple of partners in Elkhart and St. Joe County and they have kind of expressed the same thing - that what’s happening here in Marshall County HOPE with just the size of this Consortium - they encourage me regularly - telling me that this is really exciting and it’s not work that they are seeing happening in their own counties so they are excited to partner with us and be a part of something that is really having some great effects.”
Overmyer mentioned that the Commissioners are required by state law to contribute a certain percentage of assessed evaluation which he estimated at $380,000. Auditor Angie Birchmeier confirmed that approximate amount. Overmyer asked, “What is that money used for? Is that just for operations and this is above what that is then too?”
Kinnaird answered, “So, the salaries for the Peer Recovery Coaches and the salary for my position as the Coordinator of Marshall County HOPE - but, most of that money is for future projects that we are just now finding out - what are those gaps? What are those missing pieces? A lot of things that we are finding is going to require funding. The Suicide Overdose Fatality Review team has been functioning since February of 2023 and up until this point we have not had funding to put behind it. So it’s really exciting - we develop recommendations and we take those recommendations to the Crossroads Health and Wellness team so we’re plugged in to that decision making body as well. So having some funding in Marshall County HOPE to put towards projects - it’s a new season of discussion that we’re able to have. It’s just a really exciting time.”
Attorney Jim Clevenger said, “Angie and I talked a bit about using the Restricted Opioid Funds for some funding with HOPE. I think we kind of jointly agree that it would be wise to have a MOU or a summary agreement similar to what we’ve done with other entities if we’re going to use that funding so that we can be sure that they are using it for treatment, counseling, and education that fits those guidelines that he talked about with the state and not outside of all of that.”
Overmyer validated that Project HOPE was helping those in recovery but argued that the Drug Task Force can help keep the drugs from infiltrating Marshall County in the first place and arrest people before it gets distributed further.
Clevenger indicated that the Unrestricted Funds could be used for law enforcement but he did not believe that the Restricted Funds would qualify.
Kinnaird echoed that in the 15 page document he reviewed he did not recall seeing anything specified for use by law enforcement.
Clevenger agreed with Overmyer that the Drug Task Force would be a wise use of the Unrestricted Funds.
President Stan Klotz asked Clevenger to review compliant uses stating that Overmyer had a good point.
Kinnaird stated, “The spirit of the Restricted Funds is with prevention, treatment and education - it’s more focused on the individuals that have been effected and filling the gaps - helping them in their recovery. The Unrestricted Funds - obviously they are unrestricted so there is a much broader use for those. I am making kind of a tour of the city councils and decision making bodies to talk about those unrestricted funds as well because we have that 15 page document full of all those restrictions but we are finding in our committee meetings and reviewing those cases - needs for recoverees that don’t necessarily fit in to those restricted rules so we are at some point going to be coming up with recommendations to Health and Wellness that don’t necessarily fit in to those guidelines.”
Overmyer stated that he agreed with the initiatives of Project HOPE but also noted the need to support the Drug Task Force to stop the activity on the streets. He mentioned the historic cocaine bust that occurred in Bourbon a few weeks ago. “I just think that we need to look at both - how do we help them but how do we help the DTF with funding?”
Clevenger responded that he didn’t disagree, he would check on the allowed uses for the Restricted Funding. “This all started because we had overdose deaths and people that needed treatment, and counseling, and education and that’s what our legislature in it’s wisdom decided it should just make sure it sticks with all of that.”
Kinnaird said, “As far as transparency and MOU’S - I’m 100% on board with making sure that we are doing our due diligence to communicate with you and making sure that you know where those monies are going. Marshall County HOPE is an open group so open invitation if you’d like to come to any of the meetings. I can get that information to you as far as when and where those meetings occur would just love to have anyone that would like to be a part of the process and understand what’s happening to have all of the input and information that they need.”
Clevenger asked if the Commissioners had approved funding to HOPE yet. Overmyer said no. Clevenger recommended an MOU. Overmyer said that if the funding cannot be used for the Drug Task Force he was okay with it being designated for Project HOPE but he would like an MOU between the County and Bowen Center.
Auditor Birchmeier informed the Commissioners that there was already a motion approved to designate the Restricted Opioid Settlement to Project HOPE but has not been paid; without an MOU she did not want to move forward with that disbursement. She will be required to send documentation to the State of Indiana ensuring that funding was used appropriately.
Public Health Nurse and Administrator Sandy Dunfee with the Marshall County Health Department approached the Commissioners. She said that the Consortium includes representatives from Probation and Law Enforcement. She emphasized a need for education for prevention and asked what the DTF was.
Overmyer answered that the DTF was the Drug Task Force. Dunfee answered, “Ye a h . Certainly if there’s something we can assist them with we would want to do that. It’s about the prevention. We agree with that.”
The Commissioners approved a motion for Clevenger to draft an MOU detailing simple guidelines which will be presented at the meeting on May 20th.
Director of Marshall County Bowen Center Lindie Leary will also be at that meeting to clarify the funding that is allocated from Marshall County to the Bowen Center annually and the request made by Marshall County HOPE for the Restricted and Unrestricted Opioid Settlement Funds.
As previously reported, the County Commissioners sent a recommendation to the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) Subcommittee to fund a purchase for covert equipment for the Drug Task Force up to $20,000. The subcommittee agreed with that recommendation and the Council approved it last Thursday.