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June COLE Meeting and Community Session

SURRY COUNTY, NC — The Surry County Office of Substance Abuse Recovery (SCOSAR) is hosting a special community session of the Council of Lived Experience (COLE) on Monday, June 1, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM, designed specifically for individuals with lived experience of substance use or behavioral health challenges — and their families. This is your opportunity to help determine how opioid settlement funding will be prioritized for the future of our community.
This special session will be held at the Historic Jones Cultural Heritage and Innovation Center (formerly the Old Jones School) in Mount Airy — and will also be available to attend virtually via Zoom.

Historic Jones Cultural Heritage and Innovation Center (Formerly the Old Jones School)
215 Jones School Rd.
Mt. Airy, NC 27030

This is COLE's new regular meeting location going forward for the foreseeable future.

Can't make it in person? Attend virtually!
Register Here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/DXmRovSIR7GhOiPKX0lUYA
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

This is a special session created intentionally for:
 
  • Individuals in recovery from substance use disorder or opioid use disorder
  • People currently navigating substance use or behavioral health challenges
  • Family members and loved ones who have been impacted by a family member's substance use or behavioral health journeyA Special Session for Those with Substance Use or Behavioral Health Lived Experience — and Their Families
  • Those who have lost someone to addiction and want to help prevent future loss in our community
  • Anyone with firsthand experience with the behavioral health system in Surry County who wants to see it improve.
Your lived experience is not a liability — it is your greatest qualification to speak into this process. We need your voice at the table.
Surry County is actively engaged in the Surry Strategic Framework 2030 — a long-range planning process designed to guide how opioid settlement funds are invested in our community for years to come. This is your chance to have a direct say in those priorities.
Surry County has received opioid litigation settlement funds as part of the North Carolina Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), which governs how these dollars are allocated and used. The NC MOA requires that settlement funds be directed toward evidence-based strategies that abate the opioid epidemic — including treatment, recovery support, prevention, and more. The community's voice — especially those with lived experience — is essential in determining which of these strategies should be prioritized for Surry County.
 
SCOSAR has long been committed to a community-driven planning model. As stated in SCOSAR's planning framework: "Funding prioritization based on community-based assessment processes and a strong evidence base will ensure fiducial and governmental accountability while promoting outcomes informed by research and experience."  Your input at this special session will directly inform SCOSAR's recommendations to Surry County leadership on how opioid settlement dollars are spent.
 
Detail
Information
Date
Monday, June 1, 2026
Time
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
In-Person Location
Historic Jones Cultural Heritage and Innovation Center, 215 Jones School Rd., Mt. Airy, NC 27030
Virtual Option
Zoom — Register at link above
Who Should Attend
Individuals with substance use or behavioral health lived experience and their families
Hosted By
Surry County Office of Substance Abuse Recovery (SCOSAR)
The Council of Lived Experience (COLE) is an independent advisory council sponsored by SCOSAR, made up of Surry County residents who have firsthand experience with addiction, behavioral health, incarceration or related challenges. COLE advises the SCOSAR Director on how to make recovery and justice support services more relevant, effective and accessible for the people of Surry County. COLE members serve one-year renewable terms and reflect the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of the Surry County community.
 
Do you know someone in recovery? A family member who has been touched by addiction? A neighbor navigating behavioral health challenges? Please share this announcement with them. This special session only works if the people it was designed for show up — and that means we need your help getting the word out across Surry County.
 
For more information, contact:
C. Jamie Edwards, Director
Surry County Office of Substance Abuse Recovery (SCOSAR)
edwardsj@co.surry.nc.us
surrycountycares.com