Carbon County is earmarking a portion of the opioid settlement money it is receiving to help the community through opioid education efforts.

On Thursday, the board of commissioners discussed grants that have already been presented for the National Night Out events earlier this month, as well as new opportunities for schools to bring in drug prevention speakers in the hopes of curbing a problem before it starts.

Commissioners’ Chairman Michael Sofranko reported that the county awarded Jim Thorpe, Palmerton and Lehighton police departments with mini grants in the amount of $5,000 each, and Nesquehoning police with a grant for $4,500 for the communities’ National Night Out events.

These communities used the event to promote building a stronger community and educate the public on the opioid problem, as well as resources that are available to help those fighting opioid addiction.

Commissioner Wayne Nothstein called the mini grants “an extremely good investment” for the community.

“It is in the local municipalities what we can connect with the people,” he said. “The local level is where we really have to reach, because that’s where the problems are occurring. ... The outreach on the local level is extremely important.”

In addition to National Night Out grants, Carbon County has opened $10,000 grants to the five county school districts, as well as Carbon Career & Technical Institute for speakers to be brought in to speak to students about the effects of the opioid crisis.

“We wanted to make sure it goes back to the communities because all of the communities were part of the settlement,” Sofranko said.

Commissioner Rocky Ahner said he believes the bet way to counteract the drug addiction crisis gripping the nation is through education at the school level, before the problem takes hold of a person.

“I think it really affects their lives,” he said.

The county grant coordinator has also forwarded information on $734,000 that is available to the five school districts and CCTI for opioid related things.

Sofranko said that school districts could use that money separately at their schools or pool it together to hole a large event.

“It’s about the community working together,” Sofranko said. “If we don’t all work together, we aren’t going to solve some of these problems.”