Aiken County now eligible for funds coming from effort combatting national opioid crisis

AIKEN, SC. (WJBF)- Local leaders are focusing on the national opioid crisis, and now Aiken County may get money from a national legal effort.

At Tuesday’s meeting, it was confirmed that Aiken County Council Chairman Gary Bunker now has the authority to opt in to the Carolina and Kroger National Opioid Litigation.

“This is about a $19.1-million-dollar settlement across the state of South Carolina, with it’s various subdivisions including counties and cities,” Bunker said.

Bunker says the portion Aiken County is getting will go to address the problem right here at home.

“Most of the revenue that we have received from the settlements goes to the Aiken Center for Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation. A lot of that funding has been translated into the drug prevention program at the Aiken County Detention Center,” said Bunker.

“We have to funnel that money into drug prevention, and drug treatment type-things. We can’t take that money and let’s say buy police cars, or give raises to employees.”

The deadline to opt in is August 12th, and this resolution makes the county eligible to receive its share of the proceeds.

“It’s on the table, and it’s the funding source that we have for these kinds of programs, so we think it’s a great benefit for the community,” Bunker said.

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