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Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder Strategy
New Hanover County’s Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Strategic Plan was adopted by the Board of Commissioners in September 2022. This strategic plan will help guide the county’s priorities and funding decisions in the coming years, utilizing more than $18.4 million from the nationwide opioid settlement and the county’s $50 million Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Fund.
The county’s strategy focuses on providing wraparound services for people before, during and after they seek help for a mental health or substance use disorder. This includes components aimed at education and outreach, accessing service and treatment, and helping support recovery and overall wellbeing. Specific measures for each category have been established to help track progress and success.
Below is an outline of funding recommendations and decisions made to date under each funding source.
The county’s $50 million Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Fund was created through the sale of New Hanover Regional Medical Center. Assets from the fund, including investment earnings, may be utilized by the Board of Commissioners on initiatives related to mental health and substance use in the county, and approved as part of the annual budget process.
Initiatives currently recommended as part of the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget are outlined below. For some projects, the full details and program scope are not yet defined, but will be shared with the community once approved and finalized:
- Education and Outreach
- Crisis intervention training and public service announcements (approximately $75,000)
- Access to Services and Treatment
- Mental health outreach workers, clinicians embedded within 911, Employee Assistance Program expansion to NHC first responders, mental health outpatient services for the uninsured, renovations for the Robin Hood Road property to serve as a medical detox and crisis stabilization facility in partnership with Trillium Health Resources, RHA Health, and Leading Into New Communities (LINC) (approximately $5 million)
- Sustainable Recovery and Wellbeing
- A minority scholarship program and fellowships/scholarships to increase the number of clinicians in our community, housing support for individuals in treatment and recovery (approximately $610,000)
New Hanover County will receive around $18.4 million from the first national opioid settlement funds over 18 years and is working jointly with the City of Wilmington to determine the best use of these funds. Additional funds are also expected from a second set of national opioid settlements and will be incorporated into the county and city’s plans. Both the Board of Commissioners and City Council have approved the following uses over the next five years:
- Education and Outreach
- DARE ($60,000)
- Opioid prevention Public Service Announcements ($25,000)
- Opioid outreach and education ($20,000)
- Access to Services and Treatment
- Medication Assisted Treatment at the county’s detention center ($182,000)
- Medication Assisted Treatment for EMS use ($520,000)
- Naloxone replacement (Sheriff - $20,000 and WPD - $14,000)
- Post-overdose Quick Response Team through Coastal Horizons ($250,000, beginning in year 2)
- Sustainable Recovery and Wellbeing
- Employment related services for individuals in treatment and recovery ($40,000)
- Recovery housing support for individuals in treatment and recovery ($250,000)
- Wrap-around support services for individuals transitioning from treatment ($250,000)
- Treatment and medication for underinsured and uninsured ($125,000)