Burke County Director of Behavioral Health resigns

Burke County Director of Behavioral Health Dr. Katie Varnadoe has resigned that position, leaving Burke up in the air, at least temporarily, in its plans to spend the $24 million in opioid settlement funds it will receive between now and 2038.

Dr. Varnadoe and her team were heavily involved in development of a strategic plan to guide the process and were scheduled to bring the completed plan to the table in time for the Burke Board of Commissioners’ budget retreat in March 2025.

Neither Varnadoe nor Burke Public Health Director Danny Scalise would comment on the separation.

County Manager Brian Epley said the county intends to take a deliberate approach to filling the absent position, which is paid for entirely by opioid settlement dollars.

The county manager added he thinks it’s vital to involve the two newly elected county commissioners, Mike Stroud and Brian Barrier, in the decision-making process.

Stroud and Barrier were sworn in Monday afternoon along with incumbent Jeff Brittain during the board’s annual organizational meeting. The trio were the top three vote-getters in the November general election. They join sitting commissioners Phil Smith and Randy Burns.

“This is a good time for a reset and a revaluation of needs,” Epley said. “The new board deserves to have some input.”

Brittain, who was elected chairman for the second consecutive year Monday, said the commissioners are working closely with Scalise to determine what the next steps will be.

“We just want to evaluate,” Brittain said. “We’ve got 17 or 18 more years of this money to work with. We’ll be looking to replace that position (Varnadoe’s) in one form or another. We want to get the board all together and make sure we’ve got a good strategic plan ahead of us.”

The county will receive the $24 million incrementally over the next 15 years. Burke received $1.7 million for fiscal year 2022-23, the first year of disbursements, and will get $3.7 million for FY 2023-24. So far, the program’s approved expenditures from 2023-25 total $436,500.

The strategic plan has been described as “a detailed, actionable plan to guide opioid abatement efforts over the next three to five years.”

The county contracted with Community Education Group (CEG), a nationally known, program-development group, to assist with developing the plan. Brittain said that relationship is likely to continue, although nothing is certain.

“From my perspective, we’d like to see a good outcome for people with substance abuse problems,” Brittain added.

Epley said Varnadoe has accepted a position with CEG. He isn’t sure whether or not she’ll have a hand in developing Burke’s strategic plan as part of her new job.

“We’re excited for Katie,” Epley said. “It’s a great opportunity for her.”

The county manager added he still expects the strategic plan to be ready by March.