By Michael Phillips | WIBayNews
Terre Haute, Ind. — As Indiana communities continue to debate how best to use opioid settlement dollars, officials in Vigo County are weighing whether money intended to address addiction and recovery should also support trauma counseling programs tied to family court proceedings.
At a recent meeting of the Vigo County Board of Commissioners, Lakshmi Reddy, judge of Vigo Superior Court 2, asked commissioners to consider allocating a portion of the county’s opioid settlement funds to help sustain a Family Court counseling initiative focused on divorce-related trauma.
A Preventive Approach to Family Breakdown
The program provides court-connected counseling services, including anger management for adults and trauma-focused support for children experiencing high-conflict divorces. According to Judge Reddy, the goal is early intervention—addressing emotional and behavioral issues before they escalate into more serious outcomes that burden courts, schools, and public safety systems.
“It’s working better than I ever thought,” Reddy told commissioners, emphasizing that untreated childhood trauma often resurfaces later in life as substance abuse, mental health crises, or criminal behavior.
Court officials noted the cost efficiency of the program, estimating counseling expenses at roughly $500 to $1,000 per child—far below the estimated $31,000 annual cost of incarcerating an individual in Indiana.
Opioid Funds Under Scrutiny
Indiana’s opioid settlement framework directs a significant share of funds to local governments for “abatement” purposes, including treatment, prevention, and recovery programs related to substance use disorder and associated mental health issues. Vigo County has already committed opioid dollars to initiatives such as mental health treatment courts and case management programs designed to divert individuals from jail.
However, using these funds for divorce-related counseling raises broader policy questions. Critics argue that opioid settlement money should remain tightly focused on addiction treatment and overdose prevention, not expanded into general social services. Supporters counter that trauma-informed family interventions can reduce future substance abuse and intergenerational harm, aligning with the settlements’ long-term goals.
Commissioners Express Cautious Support
Commissioners Chris Switzer and Mike Morris voiced support for the program’s mission, calling it a “worthy” investment. Still, they stopped short of approving funding on the spot, noting that final authority rests with the Vigo County Council.
Switzer invited Judge Reddy to return for a broader discussion with the full board, including absent commissioner Mark Clinkenbeard, to explore whether future general fund support might be possible.
Family Court vs. Family Recovery Court
The meeting also touched on administrative needs for Vigo County’s Family Recovery Court, a separate program that handles child welfare cases involving parental substance abuse. Commissioners approved a procedural fix—issuing a dedicated county credit card to court coordinator LeeAnn Riesenbeck—underscoring the distinction between addiction-focused recovery courts and the civil Family Court system.
A Broader Debate for Indiana
Vigo County’s discussion reflects a statewide conversation about the scope and limits of opioid settlement spending. With payments scheduled to continue for years, local governments face pressure to demonstrate results while resisting mission creep.
For now, Judge Reddy’s counseling program remains unfunded, and its continuation uncertain. Whether opioid settlement dollars can—or should—be used to stabilize families before crisis strikes may soon become a defining test of how Indiana balances fiscal restraint with preventive justice.
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