Good morning commissioners and thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Amanda May and I'm here to ask you to allocate opioid settlement funding to support youth first programming. Specifically to sustain and expand the school social worker position. The opioid crisis continues to affect families in Lawrence County, Indiana, and its impact is showing up in our classrooms every day. Students are dealing with trauma, instability, and mental health challenges tied to substance use in their homes and communities. Youth first social workers are already embedded in schools and provide prevention, early intervention, and family support. Exactly the kinds of services opioid settlement funds are meant to support. This isn't a new program. It's proven one that is already helping students stay in school, improve behavior, and connect families with resources. By investing in this position you are directly addressing the root causes and long-term consequences of opioid issues before they become more costly crisis in our courts, healthcare system, and community. I respectfully ask you prior to prioritize funding for youth first work in Lawrence County Schools as part of our opioid settlement allocation. Thank you for your time and your service to our community.
{# E23 (Nick, ruling section 1 answer 10): quoting a bill or a court opinion works
the way quoting a news article works. Select a passage above and the same panel
opens: the passage goes to the official you choose, with this document's own
address as its source and its own type. #}