TITLE
Title
OPIOID SETTLEMENT SPENDING AUTHORIZATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL HIGH-PRIORITY ACTIVITIES IN FY 2024-25 AND AUTHORIZE FOUR (4) NEW FULL-TIME POSITIONS
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
Dr. Iulia Vann, Public Health Director
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BACKGROUND
Background
Guilford County conducted and completed a collaborative strategic planning exercise that involved stakeholders from across the community over the course of about a year from Spring 2023 to Spring 2024. County staff, with support from a consultant, met with stakeholders from organizations and agencies as well as individuals in the community; evaluated identified needs opportunities, and best practices; and then developed and prioritized recommended strategies or activities based on community and Board priorities and their estimated impact in reducing and/or treating opioid use and overdoes reduction, use prevention, and support for recovery. The Board approved the recommended list of the twelve (12) highest priority activities at a work session on March 21, 2024.
The original FY 2024-25 adopted budget included funding for four activities - the Opioid Coordinator position including support for the Opioid Collaborative, Naloxone distribution, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) at Gibson Park, and Long-Term Group Living Beds at Gibson Park - with full year amounts for the first three items and a partial year amount for the Long-Term Beds. Staff have now finalized plans and recommended funding amounts needed to begin implementing six additional activities in this fiscal year, and to fund Long-Term Beds for the full year. The additional strategies and funding amounts are:
• GCSTOP Post Overdose Response Team and Opioid Use Disorder Clinic: Funding will be used for the operation of GCSTOP’s community-based Post Overdose Response Team (PORT) and Opioid Use Disorder Clinic that provides post overdose services to patients of PORT in the community. Funding amount: $636,000. Activity period: July 18, 2024-June 30, 2025.
• EMS MAT Induction Program: This is a new initiative in Emergency Services that involves EMS personnel beginning the MAT process for individuals with Opioid Use Disorder during or after their encounter with EMS. This “field initiation” will reduce the delay for individuals seeking treatment. Funding amount: $300,000. Activity period: July 18, 2024-June 30, 2025. This action includes the addition of two (2) Community Paramedic positions.
• Community Outreach & Education: Funding for two community education and peer support positions and an educational campaign for opioid use disorder (OUD) prevention with the goal of reducing the incidence of misuse and OUD, increasing the awareness of the dangers of misuse, promoting safe use of prescriptions, and encouraging individuals to seek help for substance use issues. Funding amount: $284,000. Activity period: July 18, 2024-June 30, 2025. This action includes the addition of one (1) Peer Support Specialist position and one (1) Community Health Educator position.
• Syringe Service Program: Support to continue and potentially expand the syringe service program operated by GCSTOP which provides syringes and other harm reduction supplies, disposes of used syringes, and connects clients to prevention and treatment services and supports. Funding amount: $91,000. Activity period: July 18, 2024-June 30, 2025.
• Transportation Services: Funding to provide transportation to treatment or recovery programs and services for persons with opioid use disorder and any co-occurring substance use disorders and/or mental health conditions. Funding amount: $25,000. Activity period: July 18, 2024-June 30, 2025.
• Opioid Data Support and Analysis: Funding to expand the County’s SAS data platform and develop additional analyses, tools, and reports focused on the numbers of overdoses, naloxone revivals, and the general effectiveness of opioid abuse mitigation efforts in preventing overdoses. Funding amount: $300,000. Activity period: July 18, 2024-June 30, 2025.
• Long-Term Group Living Recovery Beds at Gibson Park: Provision of 16 long-term group living recovery beds as part of a package of residential recovery services that also includes evidence-based recovery programming and low-barrier MAT. Funding amount: $439,075 (for remainder of FY 2025; in addition to $100,000 included in the FY 2025 adopted budget). Activity period: July 18, 2024-June 30, 2025.
Total funding for these items is $2,075,075. A full spending authorization resolution for these activities and planned budgets by activity are attached to this agenda item.
The two remaining on-going activities identified in the strategic plan - the Women and Children Recovery Program and the Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Team (START) Program are still in planning and, for the Women and Children program, pending facility construction. Staff will bring funding authorizations back to the Board later this fiscal year when those programs are ready to move forward. Finally, the Lees Chapel facility renovation is ongoing and staff anticipates bringing additional information and steps to the Board later this calendar year.
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BUDGET IMPACT
Budget Impact
Opioid Settlement Fund
$2,075,075 Increase in Federal/State Revenue
$2,075,075 Increase in Appropriation to Opioid Settlement
NO ADDITIONAL COUNTY FUNDS REQUIRED
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REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
Adopt the Opioid Settlement Spending Resolution for the use of Opioid Settlement funds to fund the GCSTOP Post Overdose Response Team and OUD Clinic, EMS MAT Induction Program, Community Outreach & Education, Syringe Service Program, Transportation Services, Opioid Data Support and Analysis and Long-Term Group Living Recovery Beds at Gibson Park under Exhibits A and B of the Opioid Settlement MOA as outlined in the resolution in the total amount of $2,075,075, starting July 18, 2024 and ending June 30, 2025; approve an increase of $2,075,075 in Federal/State Revenue in the Opioid Settlement Fund budget and increase the appropriation to Opioid Settlement by the same amount for these activities; authorize the creation of two (2) Community Paramedic positions, one (1) Community Health Educator position, and one (1) Peer Support Specialist position; and authorize the County Manager or their designee to enter into or amend existing appropriate contracts with GCSTOP, Daymark, and SAS Software for the provision of these services up to the amounts of the respective activities and within the effective dates of this spending authorization.
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