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Dubious Buys Raise Alarm Over Local Control of Opioid Cash

By Aneri Pattani

A man stands beside an SUV with the words "Edgecombe County EMS" and "Community Paramedic" on its side.
Dalton Barrett is a paramedic in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, where he leads the post-overdose response team and oversees the county’s opioid settlement funds. He says opioid money should support interventions that help people move from addiction toward recovery, not medical equipment that should be covered by the general budget. “People that suffer from addiction are looking for trust,” he says. “They’re not looking for fancy equipment.” (Boogielou Johnson)

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