ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond County Drug Endangered Family Task Force on Friday issued a request for proposals for organizations seeking funding to fight the opioid epidemic.
Funding comes from the multiple opioid settlements “with companies engaged in the manufacturing, distribution, and dispensing of opioids and drug distributors.”
The deadline for the application period — open to new organizations and prior funding recipients — is at 5 p.m. Feb. 16.
Grants of up to $75,000 — with a 10% match from the applicant — are available for the following purposes:
Application documents can be found at: https://www.richmondnc.com/644/Opioid-Settlement-Funds
There will be a mandatory meeting for all organizations interested in applying for funds at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21 in the large classroom of the Richmond County Health Department, 127 Caroline St., Rockingham.
Those unable to attend or with any questions are encouraged to contact Tommy Jarrell at tommy.jarrell@richmondnc.com or 910-997‑8475 prior the meeting.
Jarrell told the RO on Thursday that the plan is to have proposals approved by the start of the fiscal year in July.
DEFT will review all applications and make recommendations to the Richmond County Board of Commissioners, which has the final approval of all expenditures.
In August 2025, commissioners allocated $142,500 for the creation of the 21st Judicial Drug Treatment Court, as well as funding for: FirstHealth’s Peer Counseling Program; programs at Samaritan Colony; Sandhills Best Care’s drug treatment program; Richmond Community College’s Building Brighter Futures employment program; and in-house expenses, including the Richmond County Jail’s substance abuse treatment program and naloxone distribution for first responders and the community.
Richmond County continues to have the state’s highest fentanyl-involved death rate at 35.7 per 100,000 during the 12-month period ending October 2025, according to the most recent published statistics from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The county rate is more than twice the state average of 13.5.
However, that number has dropped significantly from a rate of 76.7 in 2022.
Deaths related to fentanyl have been declining statewide with 95 in October 2025 compared to 142 in October 2024.
According to the minutes from the October 2025 DEFT meeting, overdose calls and emergency room visits due to overdose have also declined.
