[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6630091,"mediaKeyId","2699116-22149afb1d2721fda2d20746597b4fff","parentId",2699116,"title","Committee approves forwarding supplemental opioid appropriation; pro tem pushes RFP for long‑term recovery center","audioSeconds",164,"startMs",1578000,"endMs",1742000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2699116-22149afb1d2721fda2d20746597b4fff&start=1578&end=1742","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2699116-22149afb1d2721fda2d20746597b4fff/thumbnail_1578000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6630091/Alabama/Committee-approves-forwarding-supplemental-opioid-appropriation-pro-tem-pushes-RFP-for-longterm-recovery-center","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630091-ac0b451c49e74f752c3347d64b51c2ac/orig.mp4?Expires=1771111824&Signature=c41o-0Fbu8QjBabt-9Myczi1rY8C1LuNoA8okP0yEMaAb4uul99hDkT5g2SPSztsuXfyQZpOAE~1psfID0LlojdGeUR1W4Yvt80RRGjz-8nEencKdprKw5g15BmzE2mIpStIsWNROTDcZc46RLGM~9CqAOHH5qxKtvN5jRKz6VpIMxAek9euANMQJaOHZk7oNRRZqCm85S3OBFM-cKRWmVpN8p0XwEkDWUbQ3dPHEmixjXjgFgLYY57eot5vO-G4fC6i6uI4szryutocLB5HIxjU27PtHL6k-UFaULHgzOJ49LBr7MoiefgYa9s6BDdGlfDxwJOnlOLpQ87q6cq-Lw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alabama Joint Sessions","date","2025-03-19T19:58:57.323Z","article","The Oversight Commission on Alabama Opioid Settlement Funds voted to forward a supplemental appropriation recommendation to the legislature after reviewing a spreadsheet of proposed line items, including a $130,000 request from the Alabama Society of Addiction Medicine for medical education.

The committee’s pro tempore (Pro Tem) described a proposed RFP to establish a dedicated long‑term opioid treatment center in Alabama and urged the committee to place the RFP into the appropriation. The pro tempore said Alabama lacked long‑term residential options—\"When I say long term, I'm not talking a hundred and 20 days. I'm talking 4 years. Is there any place in Alabama that has that?\"—and described traveling to Salt Lake City to study a privately operated program with more than 160 residents, weekly peer reviews and no government subsidies. The pro tempore said the model produces jobs and skill development for residents and recommended the state fund an RFP to replicate the approach.

Committee members agreed to take a voice vote on the supplemental appropriation. The chair asked for a vote: ‘‘So if it pleases the committee, we'll take a vote. So all in favor, say aye.’’ An aye vote was recorded; the committee chair said the bill would be jacketed and dropped that afternoon and moved along with the budget bills in the first week of April.

The chair noted one addition to the supplemental spreadsheet: the Alabama Society of Addiction Medicine’s $130,000 request for medical education. The chair said the contribution would ‘‘be an enhancement to what Auburn University is already doing,’’ and referenced Senator Stutz’s involvement in the conversation.

Ending: The committee forwarded the appropriation recommendation and adjourned; staff will prepare the appropriation bill and work with budget staff to include it in the legislative budget process.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Alabama Joint Oversight Commission on Opioid Settlement Funds","oneSentenceSummary","The oversight committee voted to forward a supplemental appropriation recommendation that includes a $130,000 request for the Alabama Society of Addiction Medicine and discussed a proposed RFP to create a long‑term recovery center modeled on an out‑of‑state program.","taxTitle","Joint Interim Committees, Alabama Legislative Sessions, Alabama","taxId",14940,"location","Alabama","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6630095,"State launches opioid awareness marketing campaign and builds website to steer people to help",537,780000,1317000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2699116-22149afb1d2721fda2d20746597b4fff&start=780&end=1317","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2699116-22149afb1d2721fda2d20746597b4fff/thumbnail_780000.jpg","/articles/6630095/Alabama/State-launches-opioid-awareness-marketing-campaign-and-builds-website-to-steer-people-to-help","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630095-22fefbfa6d2d41f25b6150a2296dfc9d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771111824&Signature=T8VMD0XJgUcYUSgK9OPvfkVTtNydsO0MMnY2-X6eYyp5A7~BIcBv3ZDxcd5U1pcVF5Evz-O3ZsL-rYEWh3nOTYVWi67dPS1CiF3Ahwz8J67pUShsLacV1Zg9~4srsI28rvycdFbXuwDGLg2CYjPkL48n7RoRFfarFm35BzSAtQ2sZ7XCCPBNI2vwqszDXowVsFSL~6lqszWy5DpQ5HV8r706~Gqgrc71cLp~hdPz5bkev7wJGC2WWR5Esz3eNhW6sw9DLXrHBNYi-5TCDMqE82H81kq3d-lFDpjs8WCqaSLxWT7TajZtZBB2MO9rCSecnN8Tv4E1J6DVAgaDC1NiMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oversight Commission on Alabama Opioid Settlement Funds heard an update on the statewide marketing and awareness campaign funded by opioid settlement dollars.

Brian Conley, the campaign lead, told the committee ‘‘If you've been driving up and down I‑65 or I‑85, you've probably seen the new ads.’’ He said the team did a ‘‘soft launch’’ consisting of outdoor billboards, digital banners and social channels while developing the full creative assets and a microsite that will expand into a full website at opioidstake.com.

Conley described an audience‑first strategy that prioritizes impacted family members, caregivers and high‑risk groups such as veterans and blue‑collar workers. The campaign will pair broad reach media with highly targeted placements in specific counties and a four‑to‑five‑month initial media wave beginning in late April or early May, with possible sports‑marketing opportunities later in the year.

Conley acknowledged platform restrictions: he said Meta has ‘‘issues with the word opioids’’ and the team is working with Meta at the national level to clear messaging for longer‑term presence on social platforms. He said the website will include educational materials, overdose‑response guidance and links to partner organizations. The presentation also outlined plans for testimonial stories, video content, social engagement strategies and an analytics plan for measuring website traffic, content downloads and a brand pulse pre/post awareness study.

Committee members asked how success will be measured. Conley said early measures will include website visits and content engagement and that longer‑term measurement will use semiannual brand pulse studies to track changes in awareness and attitudes. He emphasized the campaign's role as an awareness and referral channel rather than a replacement for clinical or law‑enforcement interventions; the campaign’s role is to drive people to state and partner resources for help.

Ending: The committee welcomed regular updates on creative development and media placement as the campaign moves from microsite to full website and into a broader media buy.","The commission heard a presentation on a statewide marketing campaign, including a microsite and planned full website (opioidstake.com), target audiences, and measurement plans with a campaign launch slated for late April to early May.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6630100,"Alabama oversight panel reviews opioid grant outcomes, redirects unspent funds to crisis beds and mobile services",406,320000,726000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2699116-22149afb1d2721fda2d20746597b4fff&start=320&end=726","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2699116-22149afb1d2721fda2d20746597b4fff/thumbnail_320000.jpg","/articles/6630100/Alabama/Alabama-oversight-panel-reviews-opioid-grant-outcomes-redirects-unspent-funds-to-crisis-beds-and-mobile-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6630100-f8edeb0ff0adf467e57a6fd337b8f5a3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771111824&Signature=mEmsp7fkDSNVY~fJ~GNEn~IUvr-5z0Nt9dbyYdWjph9KFGga4qu4nv02dYaCZ1ZrrCeEYoPPkcrFQctRJPk2edFS7nmLLfXrNv3~6W-gso14-D3Ln-YUEEYk0biLF2Te9H8kmpieOJE7JFOgt9STpbnaaHTiE1oI8NAiFCr67qsbwXVIay~Uhs4x5Sj3HyTuvPl1Q~ULWfpAQYUHhbSu2D16lGfGr~34tWQUmoJIjU4KLNynQcb2ey0hovfY7YVXbrCgwIc0Y~gzI2iKIwHYYCAVExCEU4UzWNJhql6E8ZB1U7utZCpRtUewoOVsMsjDyRdHAq~anaUzuQbPdMcWtg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oversight Commission on Alabama Opioid Settlement Funds met to review outcomes from two rounds of grants and to consider reallocating unspent awards toward new crisis-bed capacity and mobile crisis expansion.

Commissioner Boswell, who oversees the Department of Health’s role in administering the grants, told the committee that round one included 32 grants and that three awardees ‘‘spent none of their money the first year,’’ freeing about $800,000 for reallocation. Boswell said round two increased the number of awardees to 41 and that the state also added 25 newly certified treatment providers through the process.

The committee received a rundown of service outcomes. Boswell reported that treatment grants served 388 adults, 103 youth and 491 people in total across recorded categories, with more than 4,000 treatment services provided. Recovery grants served ‘‘close to 6,000 people,’’ and prevention efforts included 13 pounds of medication confiscated through drug take-back events. Boswell said Narcan distribution was integrated across prevention, treatment and recovery awards.

The commission described changes to award management based on lessons learned. Staff said they capped awards in round two at $75,000 for prevention, $350,000 for treatment and $150,000 for recovery, and created a more hands-on technical assistance mechanism to help smaller providers set measurable outcomes.

The commission also detailed a Veterans Pilot Program. Boswell said the request for proposals (RFP) for that pilot was released Feb. 7, with questions due Feb. 21 and proposals due March 24. She said the RFP selection committee will be composed of roughly 50% veterans and that no member of the selection committee may be employed by, on the board of, or contracted with an organization applying for funds.

On capital and service expansions, Boswell said the commission set aside $800,000 from round one and $2.2 million from round two—about $3 million total—to support co‑occurring civil commitment beds. She described projects in multiple counties: Chambers County plans to add four co‑occurring civil commitment beds to an existing 12‑bed crisis residential unit at an estimated $400 per day; Chambers County Commission and Opelika City Council each committed $100,000 for three years. Blount County is pursuing two additional beds at Hillcrest Hospital, where payments would be at the Medicaid rate cited by staff ($8.50 per day). Escambia County’s Community Mental Health Center is working to stand up a 16‑bed crisis residential unit to serve multiple counties, and Northwest Alabama Mental Health Center is expanding mobile crisis services in Walker and Fayette counties.

Committee members asked administrative and evaluation questions. Dr. Stutch asked what percentage of the grants depended on administrative costs; Boswell said the department used existing staff and did not request additional administrative funding, estimating two to three staff members working on the project (not necessarily full time). Commissioners also pressed staff on outcome measurement and provider training to ensure consistent reporting for monitoring.

The commission voted to forward a supplemental appropriation recommendation to the full legislature; the committee recorded a voice vote and directed staff to prepare the bill jacket and drop it with the budget package.

Ending: The commission emphasized continued monitoring of grant outcomes, technical assistance for providers and coordination with county partners as the state directs settlement funds toward crisis‑care capacity and provider expansion.","The Oversight Commission on Alabama opioid settlement funds reviewed outcomes from two grant rounds, reported service and distribution metrics, and recommended using unspent awards to fund co-occurring civil commitment beds and expand mobile crisis services in several counties.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee approves forwarding supplemental opioid appropriation; pro tem pushes RFP for long‑term recovery center

State launches opioid awareness marketing campaign and builds website to steer people to help

Alabama oversight panel reviews opioid grant outcomes, redirects unspent funds to crisis beds and mobile services