Good afternoon!

At AOR, our work is centered on promoting accountability, transparency, and civic engagement in the allocation of opioid settlement funds. We strive to ensure that these funds are distributed in ways that genuinely benefit the communities most impacted by the overdose crisis. A recent article from KFF Health News shows that public input is restricted, with councils blocking comments and holding closed meetings. Access to meeting recordings is often limited or unavailable, making it difficult for the public to stay informed. This issue is common in our settlement tracking, where there is frequently little to no record of meetings. Even in states with “100% public reporting,” the reports often only list organizations awarded funds and broad categories, offering little insight into how decisions are made or funds are used. You can read the full article here.

The UNC Center for the Business of Health has launched the “From Settlement to Solutions” website, a comprehensive resource for evidence-based opioid settlement fund use based on community conversations. This North Carolina case study consolidates best practices, research, policy trackers, and tools, providing a centralized hub for quick and easy reference. Explore the site to enhance your understanding and strategies for effectively utilizing settlement funds. Visit the site here.

Maryland

Mayor Scott has signed an Executive Order to establish an administration framework for the opioid settlement funds in Baltimore. Funds have been allocated to the Baltimore City Health Department with a $20 million allocation. Additional organizations awarded a total of $42 million including $5 million to Charm City Care Connection, $5 million to the Peer Navigators program at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, $5 million for the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program, $5 million for Healing City Baltimore, $1 million for Roberta’s House, $1 million for From Prison Cells to PhD, $5 million to Tuerk House, $5 million to Helping Up Mission, $3 million for Baltimore Safe Haven, $3 million for HOPE Safe Haven, $2 million for More Than a Shop, $1 million for Marian House, and $1 million for Turnaround Tuesday. To read the full executive order, please look here. 

Ohio

The Trumbull County Commissioners and the Warren City Council have approved conditional support letters to stop the potential closure of the Steward Health Care facilities in Trumbull County. Opioid settlement funds are being considered as a potential funding source.

Pennsylvania

The Indiana County Board of Commissioners has allocated settlement funds to two organizations. The Care Center was awarded $15,900.00 to provide services from The Incredible Years Babies Program, a parent intervention program that fosters pre/post-natal parenting and childcare. The Alice Paul House, an organization specializing in free of cost services to domestic violence victims was awarded $150,000.00 for evidence-based programs to mitigate the effects of trauma, victimization, and substance use disorders. Through this award, The Indiana County Jail and Indiana County Recovery Center will provide office space and make referrals to the programs offered by the Alice Paul House. Full reference of Indiana County’s August 14, 2024, meeting minutes can be found here. 

Blair County is forming a committee to determine how to allocate their share of the state’s opioid settlement funds. The committee, including officials from the Blair County Department of Social Services and the county’s Drug and Alcohol Program, will develop a spending plan. This decision follows a denial by the state trust overseeing the settlement funds, which rejected the county’s request to use $322,734 for expenses related to the Drug Court program, citing that such law enforcement-related costs are not eligible under the settlement’s guidelines. The newly formed committee will focus on reallocating this $322,734 by the end of December 2024, as required by the settlement’s deadlines. Commissioner Laura Burke noted that the committee was formed after it became clear that appealing the trust’s decision would likely be unsuccessful. The committee’s recommendations will be forwarded to the commissioners for review and approval, with all expenditures subject to further oversight by the state trust. This approach aims to ensure that the opioid settlement funds are spent effectively and in accordance with the settlement’s remediation guidelines.

Wayne County has committed over $600,000 of settlement funds to establish a residential facility for women in Honesdale. The county commissioners approved $601,065 in opioid settlement funds on August 22, 2024, to renovate a county-owned building at 650 1/2 Park St., previously occupied by the Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance Career Services Division. The county is still in the process of selecting a service provider for the facility, which is expected to enhance the availability of recovery-to-work services in the region significantly.

The Lancaster County commissioners will vote on allocating $377,342 from opioid settlement funds to local prevention and mitigation programs, completing the distribution of $1.6 million from the first two installments of funds. The funds will support three initiatives: $120,000 to Compass Mark for hiring prevention specialists, $183,742 to Behavioral Health & Developmental Services for neonatal abstinence support, and $73,600 for additional assessors in the Student Assistance Program. Oversight of these funds will be streamlined under the county’s Drug & Alcohol Commission.

Lancaster County officials have established a plan to allocate more than $370,000 remaining from the county’s first round of opioid settlement funds, including school-based programs for Opioid Use Prevention. Two other programs have received opioid settlement dollars: case management directed at infants born with a chemical dependency, and support for staff members who assess and plan treatment for potential substance-use disorders in children. 

West Virginia

The Tyler County Commission was awarded $14,000 through the Opioid Settlement Fund share of West Virginia. After requests from New Beginnings, an organization aiming to prevent and reduce the transmission of HEP C, HIV and care for those suffering with Opioid Use Disorder, Tyler County has agreed to award a significant portion of the $14,000 to cover transportation mileage cost for employees of New Beginnings. The program will provide patients reliable transportation to and from care facilities.

Wheeling County Police Department has launched the use of the newly acquired Utility Terrain Vehicle, funded by the Wheeling County settlement funds. The police department’s requests total about $152,438 for various purchases, including the UTV purchases. Initially requesting funding for two vehicles, local protestors criticized the City’s allocation , claiming that the funds were distributed too hastily to police and not toward substance use treatment and other services. The police department says the UTV’s primary purpose in enforcement, and has been used for drug seizures, drug arrests, and patrolling areas where people are unhoused.

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: September 10, time TBD
• 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: TBD
• In-person located in Frankfort, KY

Maryland

Opioid Restitution Fund Advisory Council (meeting info here)

• September 23, 3:00pm – 4:00pm 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)

• September 13, 10:00am – 3:00pm 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: September 11, 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
• Audit & Finance Committee: September 23, 2:00 PM EST
• Executive Committee: September 25, 9:00am EST
• Grant Oversight Committee: September 11, 9:30am EST
• Expert Panel: September 5, 2:00pm EST
• Personnel Committee: September 5, 3:00pm 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: November 21, 10:30am – 2:00pm EST
• In-person located in Harrisburg
• All are virtual and can be watched live via Zoom and recordings on YouTube
• Dispute Resolution Committee Meeting: September 5, 12:30pm – 1:45pm EST

South Carolina

Opioid Recovery Fund

• SCORF Board Meeting: September 11, location TBD (info here)
• Coffee Chat: September 6, 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: September 30 (info here)
• In-person located in Franklin, TN. (Location rotates around the state.) Meetings are also available to watch via Teams – All attendees can give public comment
• Recordings and meeting minutes are available on their website

Virginia

Opioid Abatement Authority (meeting info here)

• Grants Committee: December 6, 3:00-5:00pm EST
• Finance Committee: TBD
• Board Meeting: TBD

West Virginia

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

• Board of Directors meeting: September 5, 2:00pm EST
• Meetings are held the first Thursday of the month