FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted Tuesday to accept a federal grant for $1 million over three years to address substance use recovery and resources for reentering society after being released from the county jail.

Sgt. Ryan Close of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal file photo

Franklin County Sgt. Ryan Close requested approval in July to apply for a U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance Grant, which partners with the U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of the jail. The MaineHealth Healthy Community Coalition in Farmington and the Sheriff’s Office partnered to write the grant.

There is no local match required, Close said. As far as he knows, Close said Franklin County is the only agency in the state to receive the grant for 2024.

Scott Dresser from the office of U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, contacted the commissioners’ office last week to inform county officials that Franklin County was awarded the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant and Substance Use Program Grant.

The purpose of the grant is to provide financial and technical assistance to states, local and tribal governments to develop, implement or expand efforts to identify, respond to, treat and support those affected by illicit opioids and stimulants and other drugs, according to its website.

The grant will pay for two corrections officers and a behavioral specialist, Close said. There is also $100,000 for construction at the jail.

A lot of people coming into the jail have experienced opioid use and substance use. The money will give the jail access to treatment and will help connect those being released with resource providers who will help them stay off opioids or other substances.

The hope is to help reduce recidivism — when people come back to the jail as repeat offenders. The grant also has the potential to help stop medication from being diverted from one person to another, Close said.

The sheriff will now create an implementation team to determine how the program will work.

The program will give people a better chance of not coming back when they get out, Close said. The program will also make the jail safer for those in custody and for staff and other people working there, he said.

According to an overview of the grant on the Bureau of Justice Assistance website: “Our nation’s substance use problem is a public health emergency that threatens the wellbeing of individuals who use drugs and impacts the safety of communities.”

The Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant and Substance Use Program grant is committed to support four key areas of program focus:

• Promoting public safety and supporting access to treatment and recovery services in the criminal justice system.

• Strengthening the collection and sharing of data across systems to understand and address the impact of illicit substance use and misuse.

• Align and maximize resources across systems and leverage diverse program funding.

• Prevent illicit substance use and misuse.