News Release

Fire Rescue establishes new substance abuse and mental health management team with opioid recovery funding

September 23, 2025

Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue has received $93,859 from the South Carolina Opioid Recovery Fund to establish a new Substance Abuse and Mental Health Management Team, aimed at proactively supporting individuals battling opioid use disorder and co-occurring mental health conditions.

The funding is part of a broader $331,000 allocation awarded to the Town of Hilton Head Island, made possible through a national settlement with opioid manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. The settlement funds are intended to support local initiatives that combat the opioid crisis and improve public health outcomes. The remaining $238,005 will go to the Lowcountry Alliance for Healthy Youth (LCAHY), which will lead a community-wide prevention campaign.

Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue's new initiative will focus on field outreach, peer support, and treatment referrals, marking a significant expansion of the department’s mission beyond emergency response. The program will also strengthen collaboration with local agencies to provide long-term support.

"When opioid recovery funding was allocated to counties and municipalities across the state, each community had to decide how to use those funds within a set of approved uses," said Battalion Chief Peter Janura, who oversees Emergency Medical Services (EMS). "For us, this was the perfect opportunity to address a gap we’ve been trying to fill for some time. We often meet people during a 911 call who clearly need more help than we can offer at that moment. These funds allow us to follow up and support them beyond the emergency."

The initiative will begin with a two-person EMS team, including a peer support specialist with deep community roots and personal experience navigating recovery.

"We're stepping in where traditional 911 services end," Janura said. "When we encounter people at their lowest point, this program ensures we don’t just walk away wondering if they got the help they needed. Our goal is to follow up, connect them to services, and walk with them in recovery."

Janura and his team are currently developing the program’s structure, policies, and procedures. The team is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2025.

"Having this team in place will help us better address opioid use in our community and connect those in need with appropriate care," said Mayor Alan Perry. "I'm proud that we secured the funding to launch such a vital initiative."

Meanwhile, the Low Country Alliance for Healthy Youth, a federally funded non-profit community prevention coalition serving Southern Beaufort County, will use its portion of the funding to roll out a comprehensive prevention campaign, including media outreach, drug disposal education, distribution of deactivation systems, school and faith-based programs, mental health training, and youth engagement strategies.  "We will play a vital role in working with the town by implementing evidence-based strategies aligned with the S.C. Opioid Recovery Fund's approved uses, which are proven to have an impact on the health and wellness of both youth and adults in the community," said Loretta Novince, Ph.D., a consultant and board member for LCAHY. “This collaborative approach can leverage the strengths of both entities in addressing the opioid epidemic.”

For more information, contact Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue at 843-682-5100 or the Low Country Alliance for Healthy Youth at 843-816-0205.