Good afternoon!

This week, we’re highlighting a new tool for Pennsylvanians: the Spotlight PA database. the database that enables the public to track how Pennsylvania counties allocated tens of millions of dollars from their initial opioid settlement payments and whether those decisions received approval from the Pennsylvania Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust. The database is based on spending records rereleased by the Trust, as well as a review of meeting minutes, recordings, and court documents. The AOR database complements this by providing additional insights, including some of Pennsylvania’s 2024 allocations. Looking at clues in meeting minutes and quotes in news articles, the AOR database identifies how decision-makers think about settlement money before allocations are made, allowing advocates and stakeholders to influence the process early on before decisions are finalized. By using both the Spotlight PA database and the AOR database, Pennsylvanians can gain a comprehensive understanding of past spending and future plans, empowering them to advocate effectively for impactful use of settlement funds.

Alabama

The Etowah County Commission approved $150,000 of settlement funds to the District Attorney’s Office for fiscal year 2025 to hire additional staff. This funding will continue annually through fiscal year 2029, pending yearly commission approval. County Chief Administrative Officer Shane Ellison said the funding is “So that [DA Jody Willoughby] can get some of the cases, especially the opioid-related cases, either prosecuted or get them settled in some other shape, form, or fashion.” Additionally, approximately $50,000 has been allocated to the Sheriff’s Office for drug education over the past two years, and the county plans to install a $250,000 canopy at the detention center.

Ohio

The OneOhio Recovery Foundation awarded more than $2.4 million in grants to 13 organizations across the state.

• Region 1 – Columbus Early Learning Centers – Early Learning Mental Health Programming and Supports for Children of Parents with Substance Use Disorder – Services for Impacted Children and Families – $125,000.00

• Region 1 – The P.E.E.R. Center – The P.E.E.R. Center Expansion Project – Recovery Supports – $220,000.00

• Region 4 – Alvis, Inc. – Alvis, Inc. Peer Supports – Recovery Supports – $133,085.00

• Region 6 – Aultman Hospital – Emergency Department Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Program – Treatment and Healthcare Services – $293,898.60

• Region 6 – Young Women’s Christian Association of Alliance Ohio, dba YWCA Alliance – Transitional Housing and Wraparound Supports for Individuals with SUD – Recovery Supports – $92,520.00

• Region 7 – Beatitude House – Permanent Supportive Housing Program – Recovery Supports – $140,500.00

• Region 7 – Cadence Care Network – Project AWARE Trumbull County Expansion – Prevention – $247,678.20

• Region 7 – Mercy Health Youngstown – Expand Peer Recovery Support Services – Recovery Supports – $400,300.00

• Region 9 – On Our Way Home, Inc. – Enhanced Housing and New Community Employment Partnerships (ENHANCE) – Recovery Supports – $106,962.00

• Region 10 – Gallia Co. Sheriff’s Office – Empowerment Through Reentry – Criminal Legal System – $174,449.23

• Region 13 – Ecumenical Shelter Network of Lake Co. dba Project Hope for the Homeless – Social Services Specialist and Case Management for Addressing Homelessness & Recovery from Substance Use Disorders – Recovery Supports – $131,932.00

• Region 13 – Lake Area Recovery Center – Integrative Approach: Connecting Treatment Services for Specialty Court Participants with Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Conditions – Criminal Legal System – $249,500.00

• Region 14 – On Our Way Home, Inc. – Enhanced Housing and New Community Employment Partnerships (ENHANCE) – Recovery Supports – $97,081.00

Tennessee

The Maury County Opioid Committee allocated $28,000 for transportation costs and $10,000 to GWP Recovery for faith-based recovery housing. 

Georgia

News reports that the Georgia Opioid Settlement Advisory Commission (GOSAC) proposed allocating approximately $44 million for projects in 2025 and $27 million for 2026. However, the final decision on distributing the state’s share of settlement funds lies with the Trustee, Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Commissioner Kevin Tanner. During the meeting, Executive Director Holly Lynd read the names of the recommended organizations, their proposed funding amounts, and brief one-line descriptions of their plans. Reportedly, the commission spent minimal time discussing the recommendations before approving them. For the more than $20 million in projects specific to one of Georgia’s six regions, applications were evaluated by regional advisory committees, which do not hold public meetings. A comprehensive list of proposed awards is not yet been publicly available, and the public will not have access to detailed information about the grantees’ plans until after Tanner approves the project applications, which will eventually be published online.

West Virginia

The Wheeling City Council allocated $40,000 of settlement funds to the Wheeling Police Department for purchasing and training on a Cellebrite machine. This equipment will enable the police to extract evidence from cell phones in drug-related investigations. County Prosecutor-elect Shawn Turak stated, “Every drug distribution, every felony delivery case that our office handles, the most important piece of data that we are always lacking in the beginning is the result of the cell phone extraction. We need that. It’s critical.” See City Council Ordinance for details.

Sumter County, Tennessee  —  application info. (DUE 11/29) 

Lawrence County, Tennessee — application info. (DUE 12/2)

Pennsylvania — DDAP application info. for “Community-Based Prevention Services to Prevent Opioid Use” (DUE 12/13)

Tennessee — OAC application info. for “Opioid Abatement Council Community Grants Cycle 2” (DUE 12/13)

Pennsylvania — DDAP application info. for “Harm Reduction Services” (DUE 12/20)

Montgomery County, Pennsylvania — application info. (DUE 12/31)

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

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 (meeting info here)

• Business Meeting: 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: 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: November 25, 2:00pm EST
• Executive Committee: TBD
• Grant Oversight Committee: December 12, 3:00pm EST
• 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, 10am EST(info here)
• Coffee Chat: December 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: 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: 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: December 12, 12:45pm EST
• Meetings are held the first Thursday of the month