ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved more than $620,000 in spending from the opioid settlement for various projects, including the creation of a drug treatment court.
Recently promoted Social Services Director Theressa Smith — who has held the interim director position since the departure of Robby Hall — presented commissioners with three resolutions for expenditures, based on recommendations from the Drug Endangered Family Task Force, which she chairs.
The resolutions included projects both new and existing, as well as in-house expenses.
Commissioners tabled the resolutions during the July meeting until they could meet with DEFT leadership to get answers to questions.
At the August meeting, Smith explained that there are “complex guidelines” on how the opioid funds are expended and accounted for.
“Funding resolutions are approved with a maximum funding amount,” Smith said. “This does not mean the full amount will be awarded to the recipient. Each recipient is reimbursed for the approved expenses, up to the amount you approve.”
While DEFT makes recommendations for spending from the opioid settlement funds, the board has the final say in expenditures.
Social Services Director Theressa Smith presents funding recommendations from the Drug Endangered Family Task Force.
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer
According to Smith, there were seven applicants for the latest round of funding and two were selected for recommendation through a grading rubric: the 21st Judicial Drug Treatment Court; and the Recovery Pathway Traditional Housing Program.
According to the program description, the 21st Judicial Drug Treatment Court “will consist of searching for possible participants from the local jail population and persons charged with a crime for entry into the program and enrolling court ordered participants in the program,” then determining a plan for treatment or services and helping the participants with financing and transportation.
The treatment plan will be implemented through a court-ordered judgement and the participant will be monitored and supervised, with status hearings every two weeks.
The housing program, according to the description, is “designed to provide stable housing for individuals who are in treatment for substance use disorders, receiving Medication Assisted Treatment for opioid use disorder, or have completed a 28-day program and are looking to go further with their recovery efforts in a stable drug-free environment with like-minded peers.”
Commissioner Jeff Smart said he was “very interested” in the drug court process.
Superior Court Judge Dawn Layton, right, talks about having a drug treatment court in Richmond County.
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer
“In order for one of these to happen, you have to have the key people behind it … and we do,” said Smart, adding that District Attorney Jamie Adams, Superior Court Judge Dawn Layton and Sheriff Mark Gulledge were all in support.
Layton, who applied for the funding, said she has held court in other counties with a drug treatment court “and it is amazing.”
The former prosecutor-turned-judge noted Richmond County’s distinction of having the state’s highest fentanyl-involved death for the majority of the past two years.
According to the latest report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, released in July, Richmond again had the highest rate at 46.8, with 20 fentanyl-involved deaths from April 2024-March 2025 — nearly three times the state average rate of 16.3
That number has dropped significantly since 2022, when the rate was 76.7.
OCME records show that fentanyl-involved deaths steadily decreased from a statewide high of 347 in May 2023 to 92 in November 2024. However, it appears such fatalities have started to rise again, with 160 in May.
Layton said most of the funding would go toward hiring a program manager, adding that other sources could be used to help pay for treatment.
The local drug court, Layton said, is being modeled after the one in Brunswick County.
“It’s going to take a while to get it off the ground, but I’ve seen it…I know what needs to happen and it’s just a matter of getting it going,” Layton said.
Smart said a drug treatment court could help the county in two ways: to help residents who are addicted to opioids “and give them some real rehab;” and to free up jail space.
The Richmond County Board of Commissioners listens to recommendations for funding from the opioid settlement.
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer
“That’s very important to us, that’s very important to our budget, our citizens,” said Smart. “We spend hundreds of thousands of dollars every year just to put some of our folks who are in jail in other jails in other counties, and we pay for that simply because we don’t have the room.”
As of 11 a.m. Aug. 7, there were 126 detainees listed on the Richmond County Jail website. There were two booked since July 1 who were charged only with drug possession (not including possession with intent to sell or deliver a controlled substance).
A report from the UNC School of Government Criminal Justice Innovation Lab shows that the Richmond County Jail had an average occupancy percentage of 147.1% — the highest in the state — with an average capacity of 72 and average occupancy of 106.
“I think we could free up some space there quickly with this drug court process,” said Smart.
After Commissioner Andy Grooms made a motion to approve the resolution as presented — $75,000 for the drug court and $67,500 for the housing —Smart wanted to offer a substitute motion. However, it was decided it would be best to let Grooms’ motion play out.
The initial motion failed to get a second, and Smart proposed allocating the entire $142,500 for the treatment court, which passed unanimously.
“It takes all of us working together,” said Chairman Dr. Rick Watkins, “so to have our judicial system involved and engaged is a really important part of the process.”
Prior to moving on, Smith clarified that grant recipients must turn in their receipts to DEFT for approval before receiving the funds as reimbursement — a practice that started earlier this year.
Smith also said that while in the past, funds have been distributed once a quarter, DEFT has the ability to reimburse on a monthly basis if needed.
The board also voted to approve $369,813.02 for already existing projects:
The final resolutions for opioid funding are related to in-house projects and expenses:
Because of his affiliation with Sandhills Best Care, Commissioner Jason Gainey recused himself from voting for any of the resolutions.
NOTE: This story has been updated to include Gaine's recusal. 6:52 p.m. 8-7-25.
