Hancock County Commission approves opioid settlement allocations, boosts Family Care award to $500,000 after 2-1 vote

The Hancock County Commission on May 28 approved a series of allocations from opioid settlement proceeds, including $156,000 to the county prosecutor's office to be paid in equal installments over three years, and a contested supplemental award that raised Family Care Excellence's total funding to $500,000.

Diane Wells of Family Care Ministries told the commission during the public-comment portion that she survived substance use disorder and credited the Freedom Home program with saving her life. "If I would have known that there was a place like the Freedom Home back then, they would still be alive today," Wells said, urging continued support for local recovery services.

Commissioner Paul moved to increase Family Care Excellence's award by $400,000; the motion passed 2 to 1. Commissioners debated multiple operational concerns, including incomplete building drawings submitted by the provider, the scope of construction the reduced award would cover, and fiscal safeguards such as reversion clauses and oversight requirements. The commission agreed that final disbursement would be contingent on receiving required documentation, including a memorandum of understanding and project details from the provider.

A county staff member recommended a payment approach intended to protect county records and simplify oversight: "I'll always recommend that the county pay the vendor directly," the staff member said, explaining that direct vendor payment limits the administrative burden on county finance when compared with reimbursement systems that require proof and later processing.

Commissioners pressed Family Care for clearer drawings and an implementation plan. County discussion noted the scaled-back plans would omit some communal spaces; commissioners cited an expected capacity of about 40 beds for the men's facility in the proposed configuration. Commissioners also said they would add stronger contractual language, including a reversion clause should operations cease.

In separate but related actions, the commission approved a memorandum of understanding with Mount Olive Baptist Church, the WVU Extension Office, and Bless This Child Ministries (Brook Hancock Family Resource Network) to receive opioid settlement funds. The commission also approved awarding $156,000 in opioid settlement funds to the Hancock County Prosecutor's Office, to be distributed equally over three years ($52,000 per year).

Miss Valentine expressed fiscal reservations about the Family Care award. "I would have rather have seen Family Care Ministries get a feasibility amount to do a feasibility study rather than the whole $500,000," she said, arguing a study would have been a more fiscally responsible first step. Other commissioners responded that the provider had previously received a $100,000 award and that additional funds would allow the organization to pull together the engineering and planning information necessary for final project approval.

The commission scheduled a follow-up meeting to review the provider's implementation plan and paperwork before final payments are released. Several approvals were explicitly conditioned on receiving required MOUs and documentation from recipients and the assessor's office.

The commission set its next regular meeting for June 11, 2026 at 2:30 p.m. and adjourned the session.