Blackford County Approves $50,000 for Jail Recovery Program from Opioid Settlement Funds

From the Blackford County Council Budget Workshop #2 & Regular Meeting on August 5, 2026

The Blackford County Council approved $50,000 in funding for the IRACs (Individualized Recovery and Community Support) jail program, drawn from restricted opioid settlement funds. The vote appeared to be 4-2 based on the presiding officer's statement, though the transcript audio is unclear at that point.

IRACs places staff in the jail Monday through Friday to provide intake assessments within one week of booking, weekly one-on-one peer support meetings, evidence-based substance abuse groups, and reentry planning starting 30 days before release. When inmates are released, the program provides a direct handoff to community peer support, including transportation to treatment, probation appointments, job interviews, and housing.

The program currently operates on $60,000 in total funding — $50,000 from Hartford City's opioid settlement dollars and $10,000 from another settlement source. Since launching in 2022, IRACs has completed 507 substance abuse groups, with 30% of those occurring in just the first seven months of 2026, reflecting a significant acceleration. Ninety-three percent of the program's budget goes directly to employee payroll and benefits.

Council member Jim Weiseman noted that the Origin tablets and IRACs together represent "every arrow in our quiver" to address the drug problem. Sheriff Heflin said IRACs is the only program he has worked with that bridges the gap between jail and community, particularly for people who bond out and are not automatically on probation.

The program recently became accredited through Mental Health America of Indiana.

Source: YouTube transcript — Blackford County Council Budget Workshop #2 & Regular Meeting, August 5, 2026

Some information may be inaccurate due to video audio quality.