Robeson health care leader credits WRAL reporting for changes in funding for combating opioid crisis

"Oftentimes [corrections] can be changing things like commas in different places in the statute or places where a statute has been repealed in one place," said Sen. Danny Britt, R-Robeson.

In this case, it’s adding two other Robeson county organizations as recipients for $10 million dollars to combat the opioid crisis.

In January, WRAL reported on an organization called Hope Alive Inc. getting that full amount of money. The nonprofit doesn’t have any history of substance use disorder treatment and it has ties to a church run by Senior Pastor Ronald Barnes who pleaded guilty to at least seven counts of embezzlement between 1992 and 2004, according to records we found.

At the time of our original investigation, Britt told us he wasn’t aware of those convictions.

"Oftentimes, that's what happens," Britt told WRAL. "The details just move slower than the money. The budget process oftentimes comes down to two or three final days and the rush of extra money that can be spent places. And when you've got the opportunity to bring money in your district, you don't want to turn that down just because the details aren't quite there."

"I have no doubt that WRAL reporting helped push things further and and helped us figure out a way to work together to make it to make the whole program, this project successful," said Bart Grimes, Chief of Behavioral Health Services, Robeson Health Care Corporation​.

The correction also notes that the organizations will have additional reporting requirements for the funding, too.

Grimes and britt expect the money to be distributed as soon as next week.