Sheriff’s office receives grant to determine county opioid use statistics

By Laura Schiermeier, Staff Writer
Posted 7/22/20

VIENNA — Maries County Sheriff Chris Heitman reports his office has received a $40,000 grant to help combat opioid addiction in Maries County.

The grant comes through Iowa State University, …

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Sheriff’s office receives grant to determine county opioid use statistics

Posted

VIENNA — Maries County Sheriff Chris Heitman reports his office has received a $40,000 grant to help combat opioid addiction in Maries County.

The grant comes through Iowa State University, which has offered a total of $90,000. Of this amount, both Maries and Crawford Counties will receive $40,000 and Camden County will receive $10,000. Camden County is the mentor and fiduciary agency. This is a federal grant for Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group (LANEG) through a procurement and purchasing contract. Maries County is part of LANEG.

Heitman said they will be purchasing quarterly statistical information from the Maries County Sheriff’s Office regarding the opioid crisis impacting rural areas, specifically the statistics on opioid abuse in Maries and Crawford Counties. Sheriff Heitman said he and his officers will be collecting the data, which they will turn over to LANEG to build the statistics.

The program has begun and the sheriff is planning a meeting with local fire and EMA personnel to see if those groups of first responders are willing to help also. The sheriff offices will work with this program for up to two years.

“This is a grant I decided to proceed with to help us fight and gather detailed information on our opioid crisis here in Maries County,” Sheriff Heitman said. Sheriff Heitman said the funding they receive for the gathering of information will be dispersed as claims are made for it.

The grant will help with funding for some overtime for deputies and allow the sheriff’s office to purchase some equipment to help track and gather information on drug abuse in Maries County.

Drug rehabilitation is not funded as part of this program. However the sheriff’s office is offering programs to help deter drug abuse, including a new grant-funded program in the Maries County Jail that focuses on rehabilitation for inmates, helping them find a place in society after the drug abuse has been defeated.

Sheriff Heitman said his office continues to work hard to combat the drug problems in the county. He said these funds, “Will help us combat, deter, and if needed prosecute those who continue to abuse drugs.” He said he will keep citizens updated with the results they obtain locally about the opioid crisis.