Title
Opioid Settlement: Wave 1 Funding Expansion
Action
ACTION:
(1) Increase Wave 1 funding for the Opioid Settlement Special Revenue Fund (OPIS) to $23,000,000.
(2) Recognize, receive and appropriate $12,085,000 Million in increased Wave 1 Settlement funds to support the special revenue fund increase.
(3) Adopt a revised resolution entitled “Resolution of the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners Directing the Initial Expenditures of the Wave 1 County Allocation and City Redirected Opioid Settlement Funds.
(4) Approval of one Opioid Settlement-budgeted Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) to support the administration of the Opioid Settlement Spending Plan.
Staff Contact: Dena Diorio, County Manager
Marcus Boyd, Behavioral Health Program Manager
Tyrone C. Wade, County Attorney
Presentation: No
BACKGROUND/JUSTIFICATION:
Mecklenburg County joined the national settlement Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the State of North Carolina and other local governments in July 2021. This MOA governs the allocation of proceeds from opioid litigation settlements, including funds from companies involved in manufacturing, distributing, and dispensing opioids. Wave 1 settlements, which include Cardinal, McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, Johnson & Johnson, and its subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals, have already been outlined. Wave 2 settlements will include funds from Walmart, Teva Pharmaceutical, Allergan, CVS Health, Walgreens, and Kroger, among others.
As part of the Opioid Settlement, Mecklenburg County will receive $75,895,434 over a sixteen-year period from 2022 and 2038. Pursuant to the NC Memorandum of Agreement (which provides policy guidance for use of the funds), Mecklenburg County is utilizing Exhibit A strategies to address the opioid overdose epidemic.
The recommendations and existing investments have been informed by insights from multiple opioid settlement community meetings, input from the Substance Use Disorder Task Force, best practice research, and dialogue with local advocates, subject matter experts and many other stakeholders.
The initial Wave 1 investments (totaling $10.915 million) were approved for utilization from May 16, 2023 - June 30, 2025. The county will extend the utilization time for these funds through June 30, 2028, and increase funding by $12,085,000.
This will allow for continued operation of Wave 1 programs and establish funding for a future Request for Proposals process to create new initiatives supporting expansion of the service array.
• Collaborative Strategic Planning
• Early Intervention
• Evidence-Based Addiction Treatment
• Syringe Services Programs
• Naloxone Distribution
• Recovery Support Services
• Recovery Housing Support
• Employment-Related Services
PROCUREMENT BACKGROUND:
N/A
POLICY IMPACT:
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Opioid Settlement Special Revenue Fund (OPIS) will see an increase of $12,085,000 raising total Wave 1 spending to $23 million