Good afternoon!

We want to share an upcoming webinar from our friends at the Steadman Group. On November 8 at 2pm EST, they’ll host ”Opioid Settlements: Meaningfully Involving People with Lived Experience.” This session is an opportunity to learn how to make your opioid settlement initiatives more impactful by authentically incorporating the voices of those with living and lived experience. The Steadman Group will walk through practical ways to avoid tokenism and ensure that these perspectives are central to your work.

You’ll gain insights on:

• Harnessing the power of recovery stories
• Meaningfully involve people who use drugs
• Manage power dynamics
• Leverage settlement dollars to pay people with lived experience

 Register here

Alabama

Walker County awarded opioid settlement funds to Aletheia House, a Birmingham-based nonprofit, to establish a 16-bed substance abuse treatment facility for women of all ages through a one-time $250,000 donation from The Walker County Commission to Aletheia House. The organization operates three facilities in Jefferson County, recently opened a new facility in Montgomery, and launched another women’s facility in Opelika through such donation. 

New York

Lewis County has approved awards totaling over $130,000 in opioid settlement funds. Through the county’s Future Stories Funds management, the following organizations have been awarded – 

• Lewis County Youth Bureau – To implement The Screenagers Project, providing schools with films, curriculums, and lesson plans to help youth navigate the digital world safely – $10,000
• Lowville Academy and Central School – To purchase a universal screener for social-emotional wellness, identifying and supporting at-risk students proactively – $11,135
• Copenhagen Central School – To help families cover school-based mental health services costs and train staff in trauma-informed practices – $20,000

Additionally, Lewis County Community Services will allocate $90,000 to Bridges Out of Poverty Lewis County for six cohorts of the Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’-By World program, a 20-session workshop that equips individuals, including those in recovery from opioid use disorder, with tools and support to overcome poverty, build sustainable resources, and take control of their lives

Ohio

The OneOhio Recovery Foundation announced $2.7 million in fifteen new Regional Grant awards from eight different OneOhio Regions.

• Region 2: Sunstone Life Inc. was awarded $252,000 for Project Jumpstart, focusing on Recovery Supports.

• Region 2: Talbert Services Inc. received $480,000 for Victory Parkway Recovery Housing, providing Recovery Supports.

• Region 6: Community Restoration Centers Inc. of Stark Co. was awarded $82,435.91 for the Gender and ORAS Risk Specific Opioid IOP Treatment Program under the Criminal Legal System.

• Region 8: Wright State University received $293,968 for Dayton Street Medicine, aimed at Treatment and Healthcare Services.

• Region 11: Jefferson Co. General Health District was granted $187,951 for Empower Youth: Building Resilience Against Opioid Temptations Through PreVenture, focusing on Prevention.

• Region 16: Advocates for Basic Legal Equality received $148,500 for the ABLE Medical-Legal Partnership Rural Opioid Project, supporting Recovery Supports.

• Region 17: Marion-Crawford Prevention Programs was awarded $174,661 for A Community’s Response to Preventing Substance Abuse, focusing on Prevention.

• Region 17: Wood Co. Prevention Coalition received $9,611 for the Sustainability Consultant Project, aimed at Prevention.

• Region 17: Wyandot Memorial Hospital was granted $99,170 for the Healing Opioid Patients Through Empowerment (HOPE) Project, focusing on Treatment and Healthcare Services.

• Region 18: Licking Co. Alcoholism Prevention Program received $173,000 for the Community Addiction Outreach and Response Team (CO-ART), aimed at Treatment and Healthcare Services.

• Region 18: Marion-Crawford Prevention Programs was awarded $330,000 for Building Better Communities, focused on Prevention.

• Region 18: Morrow Co. Court of Common Pleas received $200,302.66 for the Morrow Co. Probation Services Transportation Initiative, under the Criminal Legal System.

• Region 18: New Directions – The Domestic Abuse Shelter of Knox Co. was granted $100,000 for Youth Thrive Through Strength-Based Prevention, focusing on Prevention.

• Region 19: Ashland Co. Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse received $52,946 for the Ashland Co. Quick Response Team and Deflection Team, supporting Public Safety & First Responders.

• Region 19: Sandusky Artisans Cooperative was awarded $110,068 for Building Peer Recovery Supports Services for Underserved Populations, aimed at Recovery Supports.

Tennessee

Lawrence County is inviting local organizations focused on combating the opioid crisis to apply for opioid abatement grant funds. These funds, part of a broader settlement with opioid manufacturers and distributors, are overseen by the Lawrence County Opioid Board to ensure they support initiatives aimed at saving lives. The board will accept grant proposals from local agencies until December 2. To see a list of funding guidelines and restrictions, and to access an application and all relevant documents, visit the county’s website: here.

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: November 12, 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)

• 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 (meeting 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 (meeting info here)

• Full Board Meeting: TBD
• 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: November 25, 2:00pm EST
• Executive Committee: November 13, 12:30 EST (or immediately following board meeting)
• Grant Oversight Committee: November 13, 9:30am EST
• Personnel Committee: November 7, 3:00pm EST
• Investment Committee: November 4, 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 

South Carolina

Opioid Recovery Fund

• SCORF Board Meeting: November 19, 10am EST(info here)
• Coffee Chat: November 1, 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: December 13, 1:00pm EST (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: November 9, 3:00-5:00pm EST
• Finance Committee: TBD
• Board Meeting: November 9, 12:30pm-2:30pm EST

West Virginia

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

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