Good afternoon!

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently increased the allowable annual incentives for contingency management (CM) programs from $75 to $750 per patient, creating new opportunities to expand this evidence-based treatment. CM rewards individuals with tangible incentives, such as gift cards or vouchers, to meet specific treatment goals.

Approximately half of recent drug overdose deaths in the U.S. are associated with stimulant use, such as cocaine and methamphetamine. Unlike opioid use disorders, which can be effectively treated with medications, there are no equivalent pharmaceutical options for stimulant use disorders. CM has emerged as a valuable tool for addressing stimulant use, as it has been shown to reduce use and improve treatment adherence. For individuals with concurrent stimulant and opioid use disorders, CM can focus on reducing stimulant use while also promoting adherence to medications for opioid use disorder.

Additionally, CM has demonstrated broader benefits by improving adherence to medical care for conditions such as hepatitis, HIV, and tuberculosis, making it a valuable approach for addressing the intersection of substance use and related health conditions. With opioid settlement funds offering flexibility to design CM programs without arbitrary spending caps, communities now have the opportunity to implement tailored interventions that address both concurrent substance use and related health needs.

The 2025 Rx and Illicit Drug Summit will take place in Nashville, TN, from April 21-24. This annual event brings together stakeholders to discuss strategies and share best practices in prevention, treatment, recovery, and law enforcement. Early registration is open until February 7, offering a $400 discount off the onsite rate. For more details or to register, visit the event website.

Maryland

Baltimore City Council is close to distributing $14 million in settlement funds allocated to the city. Of this, $10 million is designated for area nonprofits, $1.7 million will fund the establishment of the Restitution Advisory Board, and $2 million is allocated to the city’s Health Department for its opioid response strategy. The funds will be distributed through supplemental appropriations, requiring a committee hearing and two additional readings before final approval by the mayor.

Ohio

The OneOhio Recovery Foundation awarded more than $3.7 million in grants to support 10 projects across the state. 

• Region 1 – The Ohio State University Foundation – Abating Addiction through Healthcare Workforce and Community Stakeholder Education – Workforce – $381,956.65
• Region 4 – Neighborhood Properties Inc. – The Stable Foundations Grant – Recovery Supports – $447,282
• Region 8 – Boys & Girls Club of Dayton Inc. – Boys & Girls Club of Dayton Prevention Programming – Prevention – $74,250
• Region 8 – Dayton Children’s Hospital – Behavioral Health Department – Prevention – $1,770,899.53
• Region 8 – St. Mary Development Corporation – Comprehensive Prevention Services for Seniors Program – Prevention – $134,523
• Region 9 – Impact Prevention Inc. – IMPACT (Youth-Led Prevention) – Prevention – $90,000
• Region 10 – Impact Prevention Inc. – IMPACT (Youth-Led Prevention) – Prevention – $90,000
• Region 10 – The Ohio State University Extension – Reducing Substance Use in Communities Through Prevention Education – Prevention – $176,438
• Region 13 – Lake-Geauga Recovery Centers Inc. – Recovery Housing – Recovery Supports – $300,000
• Region 15 – Sojourner Recovery Services LLC – Residential Treatment – Treatment and Healthcare Services – $300,000

Pennsylvania

News reports that Wyoming County allocated $100,000 to two initiatives. The first program employs a warm hand-off specialist who accompanies police to emergencies involving substance use or mental health crises. The second initiative involves distributing drug deactivation and disposal pouches to every household in the county. 

Virginia

Virginia Beach is on the verge of approving its first recovery high school. Organizers are exploring opioid settlement funding to establish and sustain the school.

The Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority has released its 2024 annual report, detailing the allocation of $24,039,295 in grants to 80 cities and counties across Virginia and an additional $8,533,621 awarded to 16 state agencies.

West Virginia

News reports that Clarksville County is adding a Grants Analysis position to manage settlement funds. According to the article, “Mayor Wes Golden added that the intent of the opioid lawsuit was to reimburse the county for the tax dollars spend due to the opioid epidemic. He said their main goal is to offset tax dollars with that money, and that they’ve had an internal committee identify their needs.”

News reports that paramedics in Ohio County have proposed using opioid settlement funds to standardize ambulance equipment across city, county, and volunteer services, improving emergency response coordination. They also highlighted the need for a crisis intervention team to support EMS workers dealing with trauma and called for pay raises.

Kentucky — KYOAAC application portal for “Prevention” and “Treatment and Recovery Support” (DUE 1/17/25)

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — application info. (DUE 1/30)

Anderson County, Tennessee — application info. (DUE 1/31)

Orange County, North Carolina — application info. (DUE 2/21)

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)

Georgia

Georgia Opioid Settlement Advisory Commission 

• TBD (late February or early March 2025)

Kentucky

Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission (info here)

• Business Meeting: March, 11 2025, 1pm EST
• 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 (info here)

• TBD
• 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 (info here)

• TBD
• 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 (info here)

• Full Board Meeting: February 12 2025, 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: TBD
• Executive Committee: TBD
• Grant Oversight Committee: TBD
• Personnel Committee: TBD
• Investment Committee: TBD

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: TBD
• In-person located in Harrisburg
• All are virtual and can be watched live via Zoom and recordings on YouTube 

South Carolina

Opioid Recovery Fund

• SCORF Board Meeting: March 5, 2025, 10:00am EST (info here)
• Coffee Chat: February 7, 2025, 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

• Emergency Meeting: January 23, 2025, 5:30pm EST (info here)
• Meeting: TBD (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: January 21, 2025, 5:30pm EST (info here)
• Finance Committee: TBD
• Board Meeting: TBD

West Virginia

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

• Board of Directors meeting: March 2025 TBD
• Meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month