A standing room only crowd attended the workshop of the Rhea County Commission for a discussion on a continuing item, Our Fathers House….Commissioner Stephens said, “I am not against this. We need to slow down and make sure that we see that it is done right. I am not against anyone. I want this to be here for a long time. Not just for a year.”
[…]Among those who spoke, County Executive Jim Vincent had invited several members of the State Opioid Committee [sic] to speak to the commissioners. One of the first ones to speak was Jennifer Tourville, executive director of The Substance Misuse and Addiction Resource for Tennessee Initiative for the State of Tennessee through the University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Services [sic].
Ms. Tourville explained what CTAS had been doing when they formed SMART in 2020, implementing evidence-based, cost-effective strategies that mitigate damage from substance use disorder and the opioid epidemic. SMART also oversees the various counties and how they are implementing the Opioid Abatement funds that they are receiving.
She said that they have several examples of how to create a community supported program and there already is a one in McMinn County that is a faith-based program that is doing quite well.
[…]After the public comment, Chairman Reed said, “I would like to thank everyone who is here to discuss this matter. This means the world to me as a county official to have this many people come out. It is so important to have community input in what we do. You do not know what to expect when people show up. You have been good citizens and been respectful to all sides on this.”
It was wonderful to see such incredible engagement by the community in Rhea County! UT SMART is happy to provide assistance and information to the county mayor’s office and commission.
A brief correction: UT SMART is not directly affiliated with the Tennessee State Opioid Abatement Council. Additionally, while we proudly operate alongside CTAS, we are not directly operated by CTAS. SMART and CTAS are both housed under the Institute for Public Service.
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