This week, Madison County Judge Executive Reagan Taylor joins a select group of county leaders for a two-day peer exchange in Granville and Vance Counties, N.C. hosted by the National Association of Counties (NACo). The meeting marks the first of two in-person meetings this year for the county leaders named to NACo’s Opioid Solutions Leadership Network.
The Opioid Solutions Leadership Network assists counties in effectively investing opioid settlement funds to save lives and address the needs of people with substance use disorders. Through events like the peer exchange, the network provides a platform for county leaders to share knowledge and examine potential solutions to achieve local goals.
“It is an absolute honor to have been selected to serve on this National workgroup and I know Madison County is the real beneficiary. I am excited to learn from peers across the country as we all face the challenges from this drug epidemic that have impacted our communities, families, workforce, and schools. I believe that we will see the greatest impact on our community when we leverage and invest our opioid settlement funds in a thoughtful, intentional, and strategic way to have longstanding and generational solutions. It must be a coordinated plan to maximize the benefits,” said Taylor.
The peer exchange focused on three primary themes:
• Delivering evidence-based treatment in rural communities
• Coordinating services to create a comprehensive system of care, and
• Utilizing opioid settlement funds to implement sustainable improvements.
Participants engaged with national thought leaders and local practitioners. With a vision toward efficient investment of settlement resources, participants discussed pathways to overcome obstacles and pursue new opportunities.
“Being a part of this leadership network will enable us to collaborate and share best evidence-based practice to use our settlement funds to have the greatest impact on our community. This peer exchange can enable us to take advantage of countless ideas and solutions that have proven to be effective across the Country. I’m no expert, but I like to surround myself with people who are. This gives us an opportunity to learn from others and that is always a good thing,” said Taylor.
