Good afternoon!

If you’ve been on the fence about joining us at the Syndemic Summit next month, here’s your sign to register now – Registration prices increase on May 1! We’re planning to have two full panels related to opioid settlement spending and best practices. The full agenda will be released next week.

The National Association of Counties (NACo) Opioid Solutions Center has released two more strategy briefs:

 A Warm Hand-Off is a transfer of care between service providers through face-to-face, phone or video interaction in the presence of the person being helped. This strategy brief outlines approaches and best practices local stakeholders can take to design warm hand-off programs

Youth-Focused Prevention programs, including school-based programs, may help support young people and their families, strengthen community connections and mitigate the long-term negative impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). This strategy brief names a variety of components that these programs can include, and provides examples of successful school-based and youth-focused prevention programs.

Check out all of the NACo strategy briefs here!

Alabama

The Oversight Commission on Alabama Opioid Settlement Funds announced its statewide investment plan to allocate $30 million of settlement funds. The plan was introduced as legislation (HB479) which, if passed, will allocate the following:

• $1 million to the Department of Corrections to support implementation or expansion of MOUD in state prisons
• $5.49 million to the Board of Prisons and Paroles for SUD treatment services, recovery services, housing and transitional spaces, prevention services, and a program to streamline navigation of services
• $20.5 million to the Department of Mental Health for Medicaid State Match, residential detox, prevention and improved outcomes, the 988 Crisis line, a marketing campaign, mental health court, and a specific amount for various grant opportunities
• $1 million each to Auburn University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham for SUD related training
• $1 million to the Department of Public Health to purchase naloxone

New York

The City of Buffalo distributed $2.63 million of opioid settlement dollars this week. $1 million was given to the Buffalo Police Department to enhance its behavioral health team which pairs police officers with mental health clinicians to respond to mental health crisis calls. $1 million was given to the Buffalo Fire Department to purchase locked drop boxes for medicines and used needles, and vehicles to transport discarded drugs. $500,000 was granted to Save the Michaels of the World to fund a housing program for women leaving addiction treatment. And $49,500 was granted to Caz Recovery Systems to fund new staff training and certifications.

North Carolina

Chatham County is hosting 3 community meetings in May to share information about their opioid settlement money and to gather community input on how to spend their funds. Register here to attend.

New Hanover County is considering spending $800,000 over five years to send people seeking recovery out of state for the Recovery Unplugged program. The music-focused program has 13 levels of care and methods they use, including Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT) and faith-based programs, to work with clients.

Wilson County spent $80,000 of settlement funds to purchase 400 ONEbox naloxone kits ($200 each) for deployment across more than 60 sites including libraries, restaurants, and schools. When the ONEbox is opened, a screen embedded in the lid plays a video of a paramedic giving step-by-step instructions for administering the drug.

Pennsylvania

This article shares more details about how Allegheny County has spent settlement funds so far. Some funds have been used for housing – to support a low-barrier homeless shelter and to purchase recovery housing – and for childcare through Early Head Start. A large amount is also being used for a contingency management pilot program which includes distribution of small financial incentives to enroll participants into drug treatment and incentivize adherence. See the article for additional details.

The City of Philadelphia reached a settlement agreement in its 2021 lawsuit against Walgreens for the company’s role in supplying and perpetuating the opioid addiction crisis in Philadelphia. The City will be receiving $110 million over five years. Mayor Cherelle Parker said funds will be used “to support the Kensington Community Revitalization Plan and other efforts across Philadelphia to reinforce public health and safety in neighborhoods that have been hit the hardest by the opioid crisis.” Mayor Parker’s plan has come under criticism recently because of its goal to “remove the presence of drug users” from Kensington.

Tennessee

Madison County commission set up a subcommittee to decide how to spend their settlement funds, and the met for the first time on April 8^th. The Sheriff was named chair of the subcommittee, and other members include county government representatives, the county regional health director, a judge, and a pastor. A 9^th member has not been selected yet.

West Virginia

The City of Weirton is still considering how best to spend their funds, but the City Manager says they are likely to use funds for “access to treatment, helping non-profits, some level of social service education police and fire how to deal with emergent situations, Narcan use and having Narcan available.”

Alabama

Oversight Commission on Settlement Funds

• TBD
• In-person in Montgomery, AL
• Can watch live on their website (choose ‘Room 200’ for location then ‘Oversight Commission on Alabama Opioid Settlement Funds’ for meeting)

You can also watch livestreams and recordings on The Alabama Channel (thanks to the League of Women Voters of Alabama Education Fund)

Kentucky

Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission (meeting info here)

• Business Meeting: May 14, 2:00pm (?)
• In-person located in Frankfort, KY and attendees can give public comment
• Can watch live and recordings on their YouTube channel
• Prevention/Reform/Compliance Subcommittee Meeting: TBD
• In-person located in Frankfort, KY
• Treatment & Recovery Subcommittee meeting: April 26, 10:00am
• In-person located in Frankfort, KY

Maryland

Opioid Restitution Fund Advisory Council (meeting info here)

• April 30, 3:00pm EST
• Meetings are all-virtual. Can watch live via Google Meet & there is usually an opportunity for public comment

New York

Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board (meeting info here)

• May 17, 10:30am – 4pm EST
• In-person located in Albany and attendees can give public comment
• Can watch live and recordings on their website

Monthly ‘Community’ meeting: 4th Wednesday of the month at 12pm

• See this page under ‘Community Input’

Ohio

OneOhio Recovery Foundation Board (meeting info here)

• Full Board Meeting: May 8, 10:30am EST
• In-person meetings are located in Columbus and are open to the public, but there is usually no opportunity for public comment
• Can watch live and recordings on their website
• Executive Committee: May 22, 9:00am EST
• Grant Oversight Committee: May 8, 9:30am EST
• Expert Panel: May 2, 2pm EST
• Personnel Committee: May 2, 3pm EST

Regional Information Sessions (see events calendar for most up-to-date info)

• TBD

Pennsylvania

Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust (meeting info here)

• Board of Trustees Meeting: May 2, 9:15am – 2:15pm EST <–Note time change
• In-person located in Harrisburg
• All virtual and can watch live via Zoom and recordings on YouTube

South Carolina

Opioid Recovery Fund

• SCORF Board Meeting: June 19 time and location TBD (info here)
• Coffee Chat: May 3, 9:30am EST, virtual
• This is held the first Friday of the month and is an opportunity to ask questions and hear announcements about opioid settlement funds

Tennessee

Opioid Abatement Council

• Meeting: April 25, 12:30pm CST (info here)
• This is an emergency, all-virtual meeting
• Regular meetings offer an in-person location that rotates around the state and meetings are also available to watch via Teams – All attendees are able to give public comment
• Recordings and meeting minutes are available on their website

 Virginia

Opioid Abatement Authority (meeting info here)

• Grants Committee: May 23, 3-5pm EST
• Finance Committee: May 23, 2-3pm EST <– note change in date
• Board Meeting: June 14, 3-5pm EST

West Virginia

West Virginia First Foundation, Inc. (meeting info here)

• Board of Directors meeting: May 2, 2:00pm EST