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Proposed Hernando County Opioid Prevention Grant Program and Associated Budget Resolution
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BRIEF OVERVIEW
Over the past year, the County Attorney’s Office has advised the Board of County Commissioners on the status of several National Opioid settlement cases that will provide Hernando County with funds to combat the opioid crisis in Florida. The County has created the Hernando County Opioid Prevention Grant Program to allocate funding to local agencies. The funds provided to selected agencies are Hernando County’s portion of the settlement agreements negotiated through the State of Florida Attorney General’s Office from Allergan Pharmaceutical, Teva, Wal-Mart and CVS Health Corporation lawsuits. These funds will be distributed to the County over an 18-year period.
For the first year of the grant program, the County will be able to distribute up to $120,000. The Board will request local agencies with a vested interest in our citizens to provide a proposal to combat opioid use in our community. The grant amount may be divided among selected applicants or as a whole. The Grant Program will be used to supplement existing funds or provide new services/programs rather than supplant current funds. Strong consideration will be given to those proposals that are supported by evidence-based strategies using local data and incorporate reporting procedures. An annual report of the program’s status must be provided to the County and, if selected, the agency will have to execute a grant agreement. The proposals will need to qualify under one of these categories:
• Category 1: Abatement strategies (medication-assisted treatment, reverse drugs, NAS treatment, recovery services).
• Category 2: Prevention Programs - youth, guardians/parents, pregnant and postpartum women.
• Category 3: Public Education Campaigns.
• Category 4: Incarcerated Population Treatments - Support of diversion efforts.
• Category 5: Harm Reduction Programs.
• Category 6: Wrap-Around Services or Expansion of Support Systems.
Applications will be reviewed by County staff and those agencies who meet the criteria will make presentations to the Hernando County Board of County Commissioners on May 23, 2023, for selection.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
To date the County has received $322,286 that will be held in the Opioid Settlement Fund 1557 - 3693000 Settlements Account until which time the County determines how to allocate the funds.
LEGAL NOTE
The Board has the authority to take action on this matter pursuant to Chapter 125, Florida Statutes.
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RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended for the Board to discuss, review and approve the attached Opioid Grant Program Application to send out to local agencies and approve and authorize the Chairman’s signature on the attached associated budget resolution recognizing the funds received to date.