Carbon Monroe Pike Drug and Alcohol Commission director Jamie Drake is holding off from celebrating about the governor allocating money to fight addiction.

On Tuesday, the commission discussed Gov. Wolf's plan to merge the departments of Human Services, Health, Aging, and Drug and Alcohol Programs into one Department of Health and Human Services.Local government officials were quick to voice their opinion on the matter, with the likes of state Sen. John Yudichak and state Rep. Doyle Heffley emphasizing a need for quality care in the area - especially in the midst of the opioid crisis.Cost-cutting measures in Drug and Alcohol Commissions could have an overwhelmingly negative impact."That is his plan at this point, but who knows how it's all going to roll out?" Drake said. "But he has some initiatives in his budget that I think are important to this group."Drake discussed a $10 million grant for first responders to acquire naloxone, a treatment for narcotic overdose, which would be incredibly beneficial for local departments who just don't have space in their current budget for the lifesaving product.Jim Thorpe Chief of Police Joe Schatz is part of a growing number of proponents for naloxone."Last week there was an overdose call. It ended up with the officer using the naloxone to bring the person back out of the overdose," he said. "If we didn't have that tool in our toolbox, we would've had to wait for an ambulance to come to administer Narcan or naloxone. At 5 o'clock in the morning, you could be waiting five or 10 minutes for an ambulance."Schatz is hoping that the borough will be able to secure some of the proposed $10 million budget for more naloxone."Right now we're funded through Lehighton Ambulance. Once that's done, who's going to be responsible for funding?" he said. "I know there are plans in place, there's going to be money allotted, so hopefully we can get that funding so we don't have to worry about it. Our stance is, if there's no funding, we're not going to be carrying the naloxone. We have budget constraints."Wolf's budget also made some money available for drug courts, which groups like STEP-Up have been promoting heavily."There is money not only for existing drug courts, but for new drug courts to start," Drake said. "There hasn't been that kind of money in many years, so that's a promising start."However, Drake is wary to call it a victory just yet. After a meeting next week in Harrisburg, she will have a better idea of what the commission will be getting - or losing - from the deal."That should shed some light," Drake said, pointing out that staffing cuts could be possible. "For our department, it could be two furloughs and one early retirement."