Commissioners will consider opioid board's funding recommendations

Hiring a peer navigator to connect residents to services and distributing naloxone are two of the recommendations that the Burke County Opioid Advisory Board (OAB) will bring before the Burke County Board of Commissioners during the elected officials regular meeting on Monday.

One yes vote seems certain: Commission Chairman Jeff Brittain, who also chairs the 11-member opioid board.

“These recommendations represent a bold and unified step toward addressing substance use and recovery through collaboration, innovation, and data-driven strategies,” Brittain said.

The opioid board finalized the recommendations during a special meeting on Monday, Aug. 12. Next step is getting the approval of the commissioners, who will vote on the following recommendations during their 6 p.m. meeting on Monday, Aug. 18, 110 N. Green St. in Morganton.

County Operations-Based Proposals

• A Co-Responding Post Overdose Response Team, expanding the recently launched Community Paramedic Program
• Naloxone distribution
• A Peer Navigator to assist individuals in connecting to services and support

Community-Based Provider Recommendations

• A Caring Alternative — Recommended to deliver Substance Abuse Intensive Outpatient Program (SAIOP) and Substance Abuse Comprehensive Outpatient Treatment (SACOT) services. Both models are nationally recognized and demonstrate up to 80% abstinence within six months based on national data.
• High Country Community Health (HCCH) — A Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) seeking to expand low-barrier Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) services. The proposal includes a triage and referral system to guide individuals into long-term recovery solutions.
• SPARC — Approved to provide Family-Centered Treatment, an intensive, in-home model designed to address substance use disorder within the family unit. This approach treats the entire family as a cohesive unit and has shown exceptional outcomes nationally.

The Opioid Advisory Board, established in early 2025 by the Board of Commissioners, was formed to provide oversight and guidance on the allocation of opioid settlement funds. Burke County is set to receive approximately $25 million over 18 years to support local recovery services and initiatives for residents impacted by the opioid epidemic. The advisory board meets the third Tuesday of every other month. Its next meeting is 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 16 and is open to the public.

— AKC