By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — The remaining $133,175 of Warsaw’s restricted opioid money set aside for 2024 will be directed to the Kosciusko Coalition on Drug Education (K-CODE).
Kosciusko Coalition on Drug Education was recently awarded $133,000 in money from the opioid settlement fund held by the city of Warsaw.
K-CODE Coordinator Heidi Blake said she hopes to see the money distributed quickly to local groups through grant applications.
K-CODE money is used for three components: prevention and education, treatment and law enforcement.
While the money will be shared equally, Blake said education and prevention is important.
“Honestly, the majority of the time, prevention gets left out. They are not at the table when it comes to opioid settlement,” Blake said. “That’s really important to me that prevention is at the tale. It’s just as important as treatment and the justice system.”
One area within that subset could address the misuse of pharmaceuticals.
“Maybe it’s educating pharmacists,” she said. “It’s working with pharmacists so people are properly disposing of their medications and it’s not falling into the wrong hands.”
Warsaw Police Chief Scott Whitaker recommended the city designate the money to K-CODE in a meeting last week. The city board of works approved the request.
K-CODE provides funds to Kosciusko Cares, Live Well Kosciusko, LITE, Serenity House, Bowen Center, Warsaw-Wayne CARES, Warsaw PD, Fellowship Missions and the local drug police task force known as NET-43.
K-CODE serves as the Local Coordinating Council for Kosciusko County and hosts monthly meetings on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 11:30 a.m. at Papa Vino’s.
Blake said the meetings are a great opportunity for community leaders to come together and talk about issues surrounding substance use in our community.
