The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency is providing Bucks County with funding to combat substance abuse disorder and help reduce the time those struggling with drug abuse spend in jail, officials recently announced.
The $616,000 will be divided between three agencies: Child and Family Focus Inc., $200,000; the Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, $200,000; and the Bucks County Restrictive Probation Program, $216,000.
Funding will support drug courts, medication-assisted treatment, such as methadone care, and providing Naloxone (Narcan) to first responders, according to county officials and state guidelines. Prevention programs will also benefit.
“The opioid epidemic touches every corner of our community, and we must do more to help those who are suffering from substance use disorder,” said State Sen. Steve Santarsiero, in a statement. “These organizations do great work treating those in need in our community and I am pleased these state funds are supporting programs to benefit our residents in Bucks County.”
Child and Family Focus Inc. is a nonprofit mental health agency serving children and youth in several counties, including Bucks.
The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania is a private nonprofit providing prevention, education, advocacy, assessment, intervention and recovery support in the Philadelphia region.
Money for reducing incarceration for nonviolent offenders will support the Bucks County Restrictive Probation Program that provides sentencing alternatives to jail time.
“Probation is an effective alternative to incarceration for certain nonviolent offenders and Bucks County has an impressive program in place, said Santarsiero. “These funds will help the county continue its work supporting individuals on probation, setting them on a path toward positive behavioral change.”
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