Originally formed in 2017, this collective group was known as the Opioid Task Force, with various subcommittees working on different projects, such as the Post Overdose Response Team (PORT). Although starting off strong, the work became severely impacted during the height of the COVID era. They gained momentum in 2022 with receipt of Opioid Settlement Funding through the Department of Justice. This group is tasked with reducing misuse, overdose, and deaths in Rockingham County through community education, prevention, and collaboration. It is also responsible for overseeing the use of the Opioid Settlement Funding, from which it is slated to receive just over $15M over 18 years to develop or enhance services and/or supports within the county to help fight the opioid crisis. Rockingham County Recovers combines government and community leadership to confer regarding resources, overdose numbers, and progress. The group is open to all community members who want to learn more and join the conversation.

Rockingham County Recovers serves the Rockingham County community by aligning resources and collaborating to help reduce the effects of substance abuse across the county.

Rockingham County Recovers facilitates community education, implementation of prevention measures, and partner collaboration among stakeholders.

Progress Made in 2019-2023 

The Rockingham County Board of Commissioners voted to approve Option A of the Opioid Settlement that provides guidance for the intended work. This document frames the 12 High-Impact Abatement Strategies referenced in Exhibit A to the NC MOA of the Opioid Settlement.

Throughout 2024, Rockingham County Recovers was able to facilitate ongoing monthly meetings that are well attended by a large number of community stakeholders. This work resulted in the Rockingham County Board of Commissioners awarding a number of grants for Opioid Settlement Exhibit A Strategies including Collaborative Strategic Planning, Evidenced-Based Addiction Treatment using MOUD/MAT in Public Health, and the provision of Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) Services within the community, as well as a Syringe Service Program for harm reduction. The allocation of funding awarded during 2024 was $2,374,336.

Rockingham County Recovers continued to hold monthly collaborative meetings. The group oversaw the award of three grants totaling $1,000,000 to two community programs. One recipient was Rockingham County Integrated Health Care (IHC), which received two of the grants totaling $500,000 to address strategies for evidence-based treatment and recovery housing. The other grant recipient was Restoration is a Journey (Margaret Bowen, MD, PLLC), which received $500,000 for evidence-based treatment. Rockingham County Recovers continued serving its other grant subrecipients, including Starting Point Rural Harm Reduction Collective (SPRHRC), the North Carolina Formerly Incarcerated Transition (NC FIT) Program of Rockingham County, and Rockingham County Public Health's Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) program. Over the course of 2025, IHC distributed 696 doses of Narcan, and SPRHRC gave out 2,000 syringes through its Syringe Service Program.