Commissioners Notebook: January 2025

Published on January 17, 2025

Three prospective providers have requested Cabarrus County Opioid Settlement funding to help with recovery support and housing services for local residents.

Following a rundown of where things stand with the overall settlement funding, Assistant County Manager Aalece Pugh introduced the organizations during the January 6 Work Session.

Adult and Teen Challenge, Bridge to Recovery and Southeastern Recovery Center are requesting about $700,000.

Over 18 years (2022-2038), Cabarrus County will receive $21,886,625 from the national opioid settlement. The funding can be used for County-operated programs and non-County organizations.

Adult and Teen Challenge is a national faith-based non-profit with a facility in Kannapolis that provides long-term residential services, addiction recovery education, peer-support groups and licensed clinical counseling and coaching for men 18 and up.

Adult and Teen Challenge representative Andrew Fitzgibbon requested a total of $255,000 for student scholarships for opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment (housing, clinical services, food, direct care and administrative support), construction of a new classroom and multipurpose facility to free up space for more beds and a new 12-passenger van for transportation services.

Monroe-based Bridge to Recovery is a 30-day counseling-based residential recovery program. The non-profit requested $63,000 to provide recovery services to approximately 20 Cabarrus residents suffering from OUD for a year. The proposal was presented by Bridge to Recovery Clinical Director Candice Wood.

Southeastern Recovery Center Co-founder Jamie Hoffman shared the organization helps those with OUD through addiction treatment and recovery support services. The Concord-based organization requested a total of $370,000 for housing scholarships, program costs, additional staffing positions and community events.

“I had an opportunity to tour all three sites and these folks are experts at what they do”, Pugh said.

To date, opioid settlement funding also has been used to engage in a strategic planning process along with funding of:

Services through Cabarrus Health Alliance.
Evidence-based interventions through both the County’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Detention Center.
Prevention services through in local schools.

Commissioners are expected to vote on the funding proposals at the January 21 Regular Meeting.

During the January Work Session, commissioners also:

Heard plans from EMS Chief Jimmy Lentz on the replacement their cardiac monitors and AutoPulse mechanical CPR devices. The service life of their current monitors is projected to end in Fiscal Year 2026. EMS recommended a 10-year lease agreement with Zoll Medical Corporation. The contract would involve an equipment swap at the five-year mark to ensure continued efficiency. Lentz also discussed a new system to track vehicle/driver data. The current system is no longer supported for all EMS vehicles. EMS is looking to use Samsara as a new provider. The company offers comprehensive driving data tracking including a camera interface. Samsara is also used by the Cabarrus County Infrastructure and Asset Management (IAM) department.

Discussed the creation of the Commission on Financial Efficiency. The commission will conduct reviews of financial, construction and operational practices of county government and report its findings and recommendations back to Commissioners for examination and final action.

Held a swearing-in ceremony for newly elected North Carolina State Representatives. Brian Echevarria, Grant Campbell and Jonathan Almond were sworn in at the January 6 Work Session. “On behalf of the citizens of Cabarrus County and County Commissioners, it’s an honor to have each of the representatives here this evening,” said Cabarrus County Board of Commissioner Chair Chris Measmer. “We as elected representatives of the people are showing a united front from County government to the state level representation.” Following the swearing-in ceremony, there was an opportunity for guests, employees and elected officials to take photos and mingle.

Commissioners are expected to vote on the EMS contracts, creation of the Commission on Financial Efficiency and more at the Regular Meeting.

To read the full agenda, visit cabarruscounty.us/Government/Boards-and-Committees/Board-Meetings, click the January 6 Work Session tab and select Agenda under ‘Related Information.’

To watch the full January Work Session, visit youtube.com/cabarruscounty.

The Regular Meeting is set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday (January 21) at the Cabarrus County Government Center in downtown Concord.

Residents can watch commissioner meetings on the Cabarrus County livestream at cabarruscounty.us, on YouTube (@CabarrusCounty) and on CabCo TV (Spectrum Cable Channel 22).

Stay updated on these and all County programs and projects by visiting cabarruscounty.us and following Cabarrus County at facebook.com/cabarruscounty and on Twitter and Instagram @CabarrusCounty.