WARREN — The Trumbull County commissioners during Thursday’s regular meeting passed a resolution that will permit Commissioner Rick Hernandez to sign an opioid settlement agreement that will allow the county to receive an, as of yet, unidentified amount of funds for drug mitigation.

The January 2026 Value Drug confidential settlement is a part of the National Prescription Opiate litigation.

The county last year received $1.25 million from a different opioid settlement, and is expected to receive another $1.25 million during the second quarter of this year from that same settlement, according to Hernandez.

Commissioner Denny Malloy noted the Value Drug settlement will be the fourth settlement the county has received over the last six years.

“We are over $8 million total the county has received from these settlements,” Malloy said.

Hernandez said he expects the amount the county receives from the 2026 Value Drug settlement will be less than the combined $2.5 million settlement it received in 2025 and will receive later this year.

The settlement funds have primarily been used to combat addiction problems through the Trumbull County Mental Health and Recovery Board and to provide funding to the Trumbull County Sheriff’ s Office for drug interdiction programs.

The TCMHRB provides the jail an estimated $400,000 per year because it sees the connection between mental health and drug addiction to crime and the inability of former prisoners to recover after they get out.

April Caraway, executive director of the TCMHRB, emphasized that they are a pass-through agency using funds provided to them by the commissioners.

Caraway noted they requested some of the funds be used to provide transportation for people in recovery to and from their treatment programs, workforce development and vocational training and paying for community service opportunities.

Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office Major David Bobby described the department receiving $92,000 to upgrade the county jail’s body scanner equipment, $54,0000 to purchase two portable narcotic scanners and $150,000 to be used for a peer support program called Thrive for inmates in the jail.

“Thrive already had been operating in the jail through a separate grant,” Bobby said. “That grant was running out, so we requested the commissioners use a portion of the opioid money to support Thrive while it applies for a renewal of its grant to be approved.

“We don’t expect to have to use the entire amount being provided by the commissioners through the opioid funds. Once Thrive’s original grant is renewed it will be funded through that program.”

Bobby emphasized the opioid settlement funds are allowing them to obtain equipment and do programs the law enforcement agency would have been unable to afford otherwise.

“The body scanners are helping to keep drugs out of the jail,” he said. “The portable drug scanners are a big deal. Patrol officers are able to quickly identify drugs found on suspects.”