CANTON -- St. Lawrence County legislators have signed off on two resolutions to roll over nearly $1.2 million in grant funding for the Community Services Department.

According to Community Services Director Jay Ulrich, the grant funding must be rolled over so the department has spending authority.

The first resolution comes from the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP), with funds designated to assist those who require recovery and harm reduction services.

Officials say individuals with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) are in need of such services and grant funding is necessary to ensure services will continue to be provided.

Legislators first approved the COSSAP I award in 2020, with an expected end date of Sept. 30, 2023.

Funds were not fully expended, though the county was issued a one year extension to use the funds after the Office of Justice Programs agreed to extend the grant period to Sept. 30, 2024.

Ulrich said the $17,802 grant will roll into the 2024 budget, which is "pretty much the same as it originally was," he said.

The second resolution is for a much larger grant apportionment that was not fully expended previously, totaling $1,154,694, Ullrich said.

Those funds were first accepted in Nov. 2022 as part of the COSSAP II grant fund.

Ullrich said the funds will largely be used for the Community Service Department through the Opioid Treatment Program, though a portion of the funds will also be used to cover two peer support positions through the Seaway Valley Prevention Council, he said.

Those funds are also part of a three-year grant program, however Ullrich said they need to be used by Sept. 30, 2025 in this case.

A third resolution was also passed by legislators for $12,700 to cover expenses that are part of the county medical malpractice insurance policy with Allied World Surplus Line Insurance Company.

In other action, legislators also approved a $16,000 budget modification for the Youth Bureau's Advocacy and Training programs.

The funds will be split between youth development, youth sports and education, along with youth advocacy and training programs, officials say.