Cumberland County commissioners on Sept. 25 approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Shippensburg School District to add county prevention services to certain schools and formalize the student assistance program already operating in the district. Brenda Eilish presented the memorandum remotely, explaining superintendents had requested MOUs that superintendents could sign.

Eilish also briefed the board on the RAISE project, which uses opioid settlement funds to support reentry work. She said the county now has two RAISE staff working in prisons to assist people leaving custody; the county previously had one staffer in the criminal justice system and reduced that position to reallocate resources toward prison coverage. Eilish said most of the RAISE project funding “do come out of the opioid trust funds.”

Commissioners approved both items by voice vote. During the discussion a commissioner sought to confirm that the contract/grant paperwork named the provider; Eilish confirmed the provider (Substance Abuse Services, Inc.) was the same as the RAISE project vendor listed in the approval form.

No public comment was recorded on these items at the meeting.