CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Tenn. — Steve Stone helps people who struggle with addiction — a cause rooted in his heart after 40 years in recovery.
He is working with Cumberland County's Opioid Task Force, which is going to receive between $700,000 and $1 million over the next few years to battle opioid addiction. He's a retired businessman and a member of the recovery community, while he serves on the board of a number of different organizations and agencies that work with people in crisis.
He said he remembers the days of his struggles, driving him to help others.
"I looked like a walking dead person in my family," Stone said. "Thank God, they didn't give up on me, but I was near death."
Stone is involved in many causes in Cumberland County, from helping children through foster care who have symptoms of addiction at birth to going to funerals of people who died of an overdose. He said the county's opioid task force is a way of addressing addiction and mental health problems.
"A hub of care would be an organization that brings together other organizations to work in unity, together, to solve a common problem," Stone said.
Joe Sherrill is the chairman of the task force and said addiction is a huge problem in the area.
The task force includes people with experience in addiction. The Cumberland County sheriff is involved, the court system is involved, the county government is involved, the health department is involved and so are many other groups, according to Sherrill.
The task force asked the community for ideas on addressing opioid addiction, looking for ways to use the new funding.
"We've had a lot of opioid deaths that are really preventable," Sherrill said. "We're hoping to implement a process where we have a 24/7 call line. The person, that navigator or whatever it ends up being based on the solutions, will then take the next step with this person and help them find answers to their current need."
Colleen Mall is a board member of a nonprofit. She said this task force will decide where the money goes. She said they have several agencies in Cumberland County, but every agency functions independently and in order to make an impact, she said they have to function together.
"We're looking for this task force to be able to help guide how this community recovers from the opioid crisis, to make a difference," Mall said. "Working together comprehensively works and we're going to continue to enhance that as much as we can."
Stone struggled with addiction for 17 years. He said with this task force, there is a way out.
"I'm very lucky I had support," Stone said. "I just would encourage everyone to realize it takes help to recover, and if you're struggling, there is help. You have to ask for it."