$4.6M in opioid recovery services headed to Southeast Colorado

(PUEBLO, Colo.) — More than $4 million is headed to nine southeast Colorado counties to support education, prevention, treatment, recovery services, harm prevention, and criminal justice related to the opioid epidemic. The Board Members of Southeast Colorado Opioid Region 19 (SECOR) announced the funding on Wednesday, June 5.

The Colorado Attorney General’s Office (AG’s Office) was part of a national lawsuit, that sued pharmaceutical companies over the opioid epidemic, and each state was awarded Opioid Settlement Funds . The AG’s Office then worked with local governments to develop regions in which the funds would be disbursed each year.

SECOR includes board members from nine counties in Southeast Colorado: Baca, Bent, Crowley, Huerfano, Kiowa, Las Animas, Otero, Prowers, and Pueblo. SECOR is the governing board and the decision-maker on how the Opioid Settlement Funds will be distributed.

In 2023, the nine Southeast Colorado counties received $1.4M. This year they will receive $4.6M from the national settlement.

“It is important to our Board that the opioid settlement funds that have come to our region be used to help educate and prevent future opioid abuse,” said Commissioner Wendy Buxton-Andrade (Prowers County), SECOR Chair. “We are proud of the millions of dollars that have been invested in community programs benefiting all of our counties within Region 19,” she added.

“SECOR’s goals are to focus on education, prevention, treatment, recovery services, harm prevention, and criminal justice related to the Opioid Epidemic.,” explained Commissioner Felix Lopez (Las Animas County), SECOR Vice-Chair. “The region is mostly rural so access to services and resources for those affected by opioid addiction and abuse is the ultimate goal and objective,” he finished.

The SECOR is also tracking the increase of fentanyl.

“We need to choke it off at the source,” said Colorado State Representative Ty Witner. “First and foremost, we have an issue at the border with an open border. We’re seeing tons of drugs stream across to this country with no check. Secondly, we have to allow our law enforcement to do their job. We have to uncuff our law enforcement and we have to allow them to be able to do what they do to keep our streets safe.”

To learn more about SECOR resources, please visit their website.

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