Deadline to apply for opioid settlement funds is Friday

January 29, 2025 by Ben Pounds

Nonprofit organizations serving Anderson County must apply for opioid settlement grants by Friday, Jan. 31.

For now, the county has $425,159 available to distribute. These funds come from settlements with companies held liable for the “extensive damage” and deaths caused by the overprescribing of opioid medications, according to Anderson County’s official website.

Organizations addressing the impact of the opioid crisis can apply for up to $60,000 per project. The Opioid Committee, a group of six county commissioners, will review applications before making recommendations to the full Anderson County Commission for approval.

Details about the application process and a list of approved services eligible for funding are available at andersoncountytn.gov/opioid-settlement-committee.

“Our hope is to be able to use this to impact people’s lives,” Commissioner Shelly Vandagriff, chair of the committee, said.

Vandagriff said the issue is personal for her because of her sister’s struggles with addiction.

“I have experience with drug use and specifically opioid use, and how it has affected her and her children, and my mother and father, my brothers, my sisters,” Vandagriff said.

Some funds may go toward immediate needs, such as equipping ambulances and providing the overdose-reversal drug Narcan. Other funding may support services for people suffering from addiction. Services may include housing, transportation and medical care.

The money may also be used for drug takeback programs, treatment and recovery services, and assistance for families affected by addiction.