Good afternoon!

Mark your calendars for Save a Life Day on September 26th. Launched amid the overdose crisis in 2020, this event was created to make a real difference. This year, we’re finally seeing a hopeful turn in the tide. Progress is happening thanks to harm reduction groups, mutual aid organizations, and dedicated neighbors like you who’ve given their all. Let’s strive to reduce annual overdose deaths to under 100,000 this year, and let the impact of this day help us reach that goal. Check out the state and county contacts here to get involved in your community.

Georgia

Floyd County is considering a request from EMA to approve the purchase of 60 boxes containing 120 unit doses of Narcan for use in government facilities in line with Senate Bill 395 (SB-395). The purchase will be funded through opioid settlement funds and charged to account 213570-57610. A budget increase of $2,000 is required, and this has already been approved by the Public Safety Committee. 

North Carolina

The Currituck County Board of Commissioners approved four strategies to address local opioid use, funded by $160,000 from state opioid settlement funds. These include hiring a program coordinator for $100,000 to develop treatment programs and improve overdose response, appointing a peer support specialist for $20,000, creating a Post-Overdose Response Team for $20,000, and distributing Naxolone with $20,000. The county also plans to establish an advisory board to guide future opioid settlement funding, with its first meeting on October 10, 2024.

Ohio

Chillicothe City Council appropriated $40,000 from opioid settlement funds to support efforts to keep at-risk students in Chillicothe High School. The funds will provide real-world training and assistance to help these students graduate. Council members Dustin Proehl and Dan Demint emphasized that this initiative is an investment in the city’s future, with hopes of expanding it to other schools. Watch meeting video or minutes for details.

Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Opioid Trust has completed the first appeal decision regarding grant funding, ruling a loss for Sumerset County. Ruling with a 5-1 vote by the Trust dispute committee, Somerset County will not receive $30,000 for an outdoor youth directed program. Trust members praised the program but noted it lacked a clear focus on opioid-specific prevention. The goal of the county was to fund the Movement Outdoors Program, a community non-profit organization aiming to aid high school students in outdoor activities despite challenges in cost, gear, knowledge, transportation, and community. Program representatives have expressed the use of the program as an intervention towards street drug use, meeting opioid settlement guidelines also known as Exhibit E, allowing the support efforts to prevent opioid misuse with “school-based or youth-focused programs or strategies that have demonstrated effectiveness in preventing drug misuse and seem likely to be effective in preventing the uptake and use of opioids.

West Virginia

Monongalia County received the support from County Commissioner MaryAnn Folz to decide how to allocate over $1 million opioid settlement funds, proposing ideas like pooling resources with other counties to create addiction and mental health centers. Commissioner Tom Bloom disagreed, favoring the current grant process and emphasizing that $600,000 has already been distributed to agencies for housing, counseling, and therapy services. He also notes that the county expects to receive between $126,284 and $197,250 annually for the next five years, with specific guidelines on how the funds can be used. 

West Virginia University and Ascend WV are partnering with the West Virginia First Foundation (WVFF) to help distribute nearly $1 billion in opioid settlement funds across the state. WVU and Ascend WV are providing office space at no cost in Morgantown (Monongalia County), Fayetteville (Fayette County), Elkins (Randolph County), Martinsburg (Berkeley County), and Lewisburg (Greenbrier County), for meetings and to better reach into various regions of the state.

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)

• 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)

• October 8, 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: October 9, 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, 2:00pm EST
• Executive Committee: September 25, 9:00am EST
• Grant Oversight Committee: September 25, 3:00pm EST
• Expert Panel: October 3, 2:00pm EST
• Investment Committee: September 25, 10:00am 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 
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South Carolina

Opioid Recovery Fund

• SCORF Board Meeting: TBD (info here)
• Coffee Chat: October 4, 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: October 10, 2:00pm EST
• Meetings are held the first Thursday of the month