Luzerne County commission discusses $2 million request for opioid settlement funds

Luzerne County’s Commission on Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement discussed four requests for county opioid litigation settlement funds on Wednesday, including one for $2 million.

Council created the commission in 2023 to review applications and recommend awards for council’s consideration and final determination.

The commission had taken the position its meetings were not public based on court case law because it is advisory and not a decision-making body. However, it agreed to meet publicly, starting with Wednesday’s meeting, after several council members recently challenged that interpretation.

The $2 million would be for True North Recovery of NEPA for its new substance use disorder treatment center on Courtright Avenue in Wilkes-Barre, which is near the county prison and emergency management properties on Water Street.

County Council had previously approved two earmarks totaling $1 million for the center, which is expected to open by May.

Instead of expressly recommending the additional $2 million funding award to council, the commission unanimously voted Wednesday to forward the application to council for its review and decision on how to proceed.

In addition to 62 inpatient treatment beds, the center will house 39 detoxification beds to provide medical supervision for those undergoing painful withdrawal.

The True North leadership team includes: Nick Colangelo, who has been in the treatment field for five decades; Larry Moran, an attorney and developer who owns and operates Fellowship House, a Scranton area treatment center; and Dave Enslin, who has worked in the recovery field for 15 years and will serve as True North executive director.

Moran told the commission on Wednesday that he had received feedback from a prior county human services employee and others that there was a need for another detoxification and treatment facility in the county.

A total of $6 million has been invested in the project to date — $2.5 million to acquire the former assisted living facility and $3.5 million for renovations and other center setup costs, its submission said.

The state also earmarked $1 million toward the project in addition to the county allocation, Moran said.

Moran said he wanted to create a top-notch facility that still services those covered by medical assistance, as opposed to some facilities that only accept commercial insurance or out-of-pocket payments. The True North center has a certificate of occupancy and state license, he said.

Commission member Megan Stone, the county’s Human Services Division head, told Moran the commission was still awaiting the company’s response to several questions emailed March 5. Moran provided initial answers Wednesday and said he will follow up with more details in writing.

Among the most pressing was the commission’s discovery that True North does not have approval to be in the provider network to get reimbursement for medical assistance patients.

Moran said True North disagrees based on its research and is appealing that decision, adding he is confident the company will be successful in the appeal.

Other insurance networks and plans are already in place to ensure the center will remain operational regardless of what happens with medical assistance or additional county funding, Moran said.

True North expects to hire approximately 100, with an annual payroll of $7 million, he said.

“We’re still moving forward,” he said.

The center is deserving of additional assistance because it is meeting a need and won’t be turning a profit for a “very long time, if at all,” Moran said.

Other requests

Also discussed on Wednesday were two new commission-recommended earmarks that a council majority had tabled on March 10 pending a review of the commission structure and protocols:

• $75,000 for Lotus Manor, a Kingston recovery house for women with Opioid Use Disorder

• $149,490 for Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania for its “Give Hope” mobile outreach program, established in 2019 to connect with and support the homeless

After representatives of both entities reiterated the need for their programs Wednesday, the commission agreed to resubmit the applications to council with a recommendation to approve them at council’s next meeting April 14.

Lotus Manor representative Sara Swepston told the commission her facility will address an urgent need by providing women a safe place to focus on staying sober, including those with children permitted to reside with them during the recovery period.

Without such a facility, women risk losing custody of and connections with their children if they continue with recovery treatment, Swepston said. The program includes therapy for children residing there because substance use disorder is a “family disease,” she said.

Council-appointed citizen commission member Mary Butera, who works as a recovery specialist, said the Lotus Manor program meets all opioid settlement eligibility requirements and is a “desperate need in this area.”

The final application on Wednesday’s agenda was from Tribune Publishing seeking $33,600 for an opioid media program.

Commission member and county District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce made a motion to table the request, which was unanimously approved, and to not proceed with additional discussion or vetting.

County Council did not support past proposals for opioid media campaigns, and the DA said the commission should not entertain them unless council indicates its position has changed.

During public comment, Pam Keefe, founder of Michaelene’s Mission, said she lost a daughter to opioids and performs outreach services through her organization.

Keefe suggested earmarking funds to help financially struggling families of opioid overdose death victims pay for cremation and grief counseling.

Back Mountain resident Gerard O’Donnell thanked the commission for its work and questioned whether it is following up to ensure that funded projects are completed and “see the results.”

Stone said invoices must be submitted and scrutinized before reimbursement payments are issued to verify expenditures match the projects approved by council.

Commission members also visit some sites, and Stone said she compiles a detailed report for the opioid settlement oversight trust every six months.

Council has authorized approximately $7.7 million in earmarks since 2023. The county is projected to receive approximately $30 million over 18 years from the state’s settlement against opioid manufacturers and wholesale distributors.