Wake County has awarded more than $750,000 in opioid settlement funds to four community partners advancing youth-focused prevention, education and early intervention services. These investments strengthen efforts to spot mental health and substance use concerns early and help connect young people to services and support before a crisis escalates.
This funding builds on the Wake County Behavioral Health Department's long-term strategy to use opioid settlement dollars across the full continuum of behavioral health supports, from overdose prevention and crisis services to treatment and recovery support. While the County continues to invest millions each year in high impact services, these awards strengthen a different, equally critical part of that continuum: reaching young people and families earlier. By focusing upstream, the County hopes to reduce the number of residents who reach the point of crisis, overdose or long-term behavioral health challenges.
"Wake County is committed to strengthening the behavioral health supports that help our residents thrive," said Wake County Commissioner Cheryl Stallings. "By investing in programs that prioritize prevention, education, and early intervention, we’re ensuring that children, teens and families have trusted places to turn before challenges become crises."
The awards come during Suicide Prevention and Recovery Month, a reminder of the importance of early connection and ensuring youth have trusted adults and accessible mental health supports. These investments align with Wake County’s commitment to identifying concerns sooner and expanding protective factors that reduce suicide and overdose risk among children, teens and young adults.
The organizations receiving funding are El Futuro, NAMI Wake, SouthLight Healthcare and UCA WAVES.
- El Futuro will launch the Wake County Latino Youth and Family Substance Use Prevention and Early Intervention Initiative, a culturally responsive and family-centered program designed to strengthen prevention, early intervention and behavioral health support systems for Latino youth and families. Funding awarded: $213,908
- NAMI Wake will expand the Young Minds Collective, a youth-focused early-intervention model that serves as an upstream opioid prevention strategy helping young people and the adults around them recognize warning signs, reduce stigma and access support before distress escalates into crisis or substance use. Funding awarded: $250,000
- SouthLight Healthcare will implement the Youth Diversion and Early Intervention Program, an evidence-based behavioral health and diversion initiative serving youth and young adults ages 12–25 who may be at risk of substance misuse, overdose or involvement with the justice system.Funding awarded: $168,848
- UCA WAVES will provide overdose prevention training, one-on-one peer support, group support and health education focused on opioid use and the social determinants of mental health tailored specifically to Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities, including Asian Refugees. Funding awarded: $125,000
