Georgia has rolled out a new grant portal to manage the flow of a hefty $638 million opioid settlement bonanza set to gush into state coffers over the next 18 years. In a move signaling that the cloud of the opioid epidemic may just get a silver lining, this cash injection is targeted at bolstering prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm-reduction programs statewide, as per an agreement sighted by WABE.
Under the watchful eye of state Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Commissioner Kevin Tanner, who also serves as the trustee of the new Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust, a portion of this payout is earmarked for the local government to the tune of approximately 25%. The remaining three-quarters of the settlement, about $479 million, is to be dished out by the trust. “Nothing can be done in return to return those we lost to the opioid epidemic. What we can do, what we must do, is work together to provide the means to end this crisis,” Tanner stressed in a statement made to WABE, adding that the primary focus now is to marshal resources to stamp out this crisis.
Hopeful beneficiaries, which span community organizations and local governments, can start their grant applications beginning April 15. WABE reports that during a workshop close to the state Capitol that drew a crowd of over 100 potential applicants, Tanner, along with other officials, shed light on the grant application process.
According to the details shared with WABE, the first application window will allow groups to vie for a year's worth, or a possible two years, of funding. Tanner elucidated, "Obviously our goal is to get these funds on the street and to be able to start seeing progress quickly," highlighting the dual aim of swift action and prudent spending.
The severity of the opioid crisis in Georgia doesn't escape sobering statistics — with the state Department of Public Health confirming a spike in opioid overdose deaths by 207% from 2019 to 2020. And as WABE reports, the menace of fentanyl looms large, cutting across various drugs and elevating overdose rates to unprecedented levels. "Fentanyl is a continued issue," said Cassandra Price, director of the Office of Addictive Diseases at DBHDD in a statement reported by WABE. "Even something as simple as marijuana may have fentanyl mixed in it."
Scrutiny over how settlement funds are dispersed remains a hot topic. Christine Minhee, an attorney and founder of the project OpioidSettlementTracker.com, told WABE that the agreements imply state politics will have a significant say in how funds are apportioned.
Paving the way for local decision-making, the agreement stipulates the establishment of advisory councils to deliberate on settlement spending. These councils will include representation from county boards of health, Community Service Boards, and sheriff's departments, all pointed out by an overview from WABE.
Sheriff Gary Sisk of Catoosa County signaled plans for regional cooperation, focusing on bringing more addiction-treatment services and prevention resources to the area, given that a substantial portion of his jail's population is entangled in opioid-related offenses. In remarks obtained by WABE, he emphasized the criticality of prevention, especially among youth, noting that “Prevention could be so much greater. If we could really, really get in there and make an impact with those young people. Because once somebody gets hooked on the drugs, it’s 10 times harder to get them to turn around. Then, if we could get them before they ever get to that point, maybe we could make a greater impact.”
A requirement of the settlement plans includes the publication of an annual report charting the allocation of funds, the range of programs supported, and an assessment of the impact of mitigating the opioid crisis. Further workshops aimed at guiding potential applicants are scheduled to take place in Macon, Brunswick, and Columbus, as communicated by officials to WABE.
