Stafford restarts substance abuse program as U.S. drug overdoses soar

The Rappahannock Area Office on Youth will receive funding from Stafford County to fund substance abuse treatment programs.

The Stafford County Board of Supervisors approved $88,623 to fund the creation of a substance abuse therapist position for one year. The cash infusion allows the youth services program to resume.

The program provided by the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board (RCSB) was placed on hold back in January 2021 due to staffing shortages.

Provisional data from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics indicate an estimated 100,306 drug overdose deaths in the United States during the 12 months ending in April 2021, an increase of 28.5% from the 78,056 deaths during the same period the year before.

Before the pandemic, the joint program by the RSCB averaged 68 people per year who were assessed to have substance abuse issues. The program’s participants are local youth referred to the program.

In addition to restarting the substance abuse programs, the funding would go to other necessities, such as a van that would allow small groups of young people to participate in community activities. The grant will also provide computers for use in a smaller classroom which would comply with the recommendations of the CDC.

“The Rappahannock Area Office on Youth is grateful for the support of Stafford County and all contributing localities,” said Davy Fearon Jr., Executive Director for the Rappahannock Office on Youth. “These ARPA funds will allow our agency to resume our substance use treatment program for youth, a service we have been unable to offer due to the challenges of the pandemic. We look forward to continuing our work in providing programs that promote healthy and responsible behavior in youth and young adults.”

The county is pulling the funding from a $2.9 million pot of cash from last year’s American Rescue Plan Act.

Since 1989, the Rappahannock Area Office on Youth has provided programs for local youth regarding court-ordered mandates. These proactive programs seek to support children to keep them out of trouble and address behavioral issues and concerns.

The office receives funding from Stafford County, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania County, and King George County. Stafford is the first locality to respond to the Community Service Board’s annual funding requests. Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, and King George are expected to make their responses in the next few weeks.