Murray city councilors have earmarked a portion of funds from settlements with national and regional opioid manufacturers and distributors to support the opening of a new opioid recovery community center.
State and local government officials have been mulling over how to spend the money they’ve received from settlements with national and regional opioid manufacturers and distributors since 2022. The funds are intended to aid projects and initiatives aimed at the abatement of misused opioids.
At a city council meeting in March, Murray officials chose to designate some of their settlement dollars towards opening a community center with resources for people seeking treatment for substance use disorder with the help of the nonprofit organization Volunteers of America Mid-States.
Councilwoman Bonnie Higginson chaired the committee that reviewed proposals for investment opportunities for Murray related to opioid abatement. She said choosing how the city spent those funds wasn’t a decision to be taken lightly and was focused on addressing the needs of the Calloway County community.
“We were able to meet with various nonprofits that work with people who have experienced substance abuse and are in recovery,” Higginson said. “We spoke with medical folks. We spoke with law enforcement people to try to determine the best use of these funds.”
The committee ultimately chose a proposal from Volunteers of America Mid-States to open an opioid recovery community center in Murray. That proposal was approved at last month’s city council meeting, along with a resolution to provide the center $100,000 a year to support its operation. Higginson said that the combination of funds from the city and Volunteers of America Mid-States means the center could open soon.
“Attorney General [Russell Coleman] awarded Volunteers of America enough funds from the state opioid abatement commission,” the city councilor said. “Enough funds for us to get this center going very soon. We think within the next few months.”
Volunteers of America Mid-States is a regional branch of the national organization, Volunteers of America. The non-profit is a faith-based organization that provides affordable housing and other assistance-based services across the nation.
Senior Program Manager Maria Thompson oversees four other recovery community centers in the commonwealth from the Mid-States office. The Murray facility would be the westernmost location in the state, with other centers being located in Clay, Rockcastle, Lincoln, and Pulaski counties.
“[The recovery community centers] are essentially a resource hub. We connect individuals with resources. We connect individuals to inpatient treatment, to outpatient services. We are here to meet the needs of our community,” Thompson said.
Thompson describes the facilities as non-judgemental environments that focus on empowering individuals with substance use disorders. The community center will also be a place for services beyond opioid abatement. Other services will include providing a meeting space for Alcohol Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous programs and offering transportation to and from other recovery facilities.
“It does not matter if you are still in active addiction and you're seeking services, we are still going to help you,” Thompson said. “We're there to also help individuals get into treatment, because that can be a really difficult process if you don't know or don't have help, especially for individuals that are still in active addiction and they're ready to change their lives.”
The location and opening day for the recovery community center has yet to be announced.
