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Representatives with Mecklenburg County announced at a community meeting at the Charlotte Convention Center in uptown on Monday that they plan to launch a post-overdose response team and a program that aims to support those dealing with substance use and mental health challenges.
At least 10 people in the city’s detention center will be supported through the Medication Assisted Treatment pilot program. It will provide therapists and peer support, and medication to help those overcome substance use. Marcus Boyd is the program manager with the county. Boyd says they decided to launch the program in the detention center because of what they heard.
"Primarily from feedback stakeholder groups, community citizens, and those with lived experiences,” Boyd said. "We also recognize it as a major gap in our community."
Mecklenburg County plans to receive about $73 million over 18 years to tackle the opioid crisis. About $4.5 million has been allocated to support the launch of the post-overdose response team and the Medication Assisted Treatment pilot program.
The program comes amid heightened scrutiny of the local justice system after DeCarlos Brown, 34, was arrested in the stabbing death of Ukrainian Iryna Zarutska, 23. Brown had previously been arrested 14 times and was free on bond, awaiting trial on a misdemeanor charge at the time of the killing. An incident Sheriff Garry McFadden reflected on.
“What happened on that train, with those two people, is nothing different from what I’ve seen in the last 44 years. A mother, a family lost someone, and now we're talking about mental health," McFadden said. He added, “What if you just drive down the street and interview one of the people lying on the streets, or interview one of them who is pushing the buggy with all the clothes, and see what resources they did not receive to allow them to not be on the streets.”
Brown suffers from schizophrenia, his mother has said. Court records also say he was homeless, though there haven’t been indications that he suffers from addiction.
The programs plan to launch next month.
