[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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",[32,76,88,100],{"_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",6578641,"mediaKeyId","3151627-b7a0b0594c6a76addc0b077ba2fa6ce1","parentId",3151627,"title","Council reports $17.6 million paid to cycle 1 grantees; state program reports nearly one million naloxone units distributed since 2017","audioSeconds",2838,"startMs",331000,"endMs",3169000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3151627-b7a0b0594c6a76addc0b077ba2fa6ce1&start=331&end=3169","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3151627-b7a0b0594c6a76addc0b077ba2fa6ce1/thumbnail_331000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6578641/Tennessee/Council-reports-176-million-paid-to-cycle-1-grantees-state-program-reports-nearly-one-million-naloxone-units-distributed-since-2017","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6578641-0c8dea9546cd11f3e658913eae06297e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146663&Signature=j6YNIyd84I0xnSA7fHvXLjGOoyMLdV66ofw~VPnhAIMhwzKm4jH-44Vixo9D9RrlgMVMdoi6QbJBseo24a0VQN-HeUQ4W8O0dzjzXfxWeRzECYBQdJv-MTbNdq9QCQUkOLjEA3cHYz11hpvCgG8La9rXwxlBSMy9wasd9lJPrI-avJ3miphyeVnA93GvuYunWPvHkhM0MxhdMAbNA6AqTFZ0XY3iPiMUTi6LTxpRJfFMnAeLPTjtQd06nQ1clk~ppwnuAv6NOIWxoTQIJwB2sm8jG5sKp8zLyvfxrjhaz3QMn3liboctBp6-32EOz3y3vlk3LZstJD~gvAVbDgI9fQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services","date","2025-04-29T19:39:16.11Z","article","The Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council received multiple operational updates on April 28: the OAC office reported about $17,600,000 in community grant cycle 1 invoice payments processed; staff summarized semiannual reporting from grantees on naloxone; and Tony Jackson of the Tennessee Department of Health described the department’s TN Save a Life program and its naloxone distribution activities.

Executive Director Mary Shelton told the council that $17.6 million in cycle 1 invoices had been paid “as of this week and last week,” and thanked grantees for submitting clean invoices. Shelton said there were 16 approved cycle 1 grant awards, 13 implemented contracts (soon to be 13 executed contracts in staff wording), and 103 semiannual reports completed and returned by grantees. The office added distribution questions to county and grantee reporting after the legislature passed House Joint Resolution 100, which urged allocation to overdose reversal medication efforts; the attorney general’s office advised staff the resolution does not change state statute but that the OAC should collect data on naloxone purchases and distributions.

From grantee reporting submitted before the added questions, staff said 22 community cycle 1 grants included naloxone purchase or distribution as a component and that grantees reported distributing 15,927 units of naloxone — staff cautioned the reports did not always specify whether the naloxone was purchased with OAC funds or obtained from another source.

Tony Jackson, director of prevention for the Tennessee Department of Health’s substance use work, presented the TN Save a Life program. Jackson said the program provides training on overdose recognition and naloxone administration, focuses priority naloxone distribution on populations at highest risk and the people most likely to respond to overdoses, and supports regional overdose prevention specialists who do tailored outreach. Jackson told the council the program has distributed nearly 1,000,000 naloxone units since program inception in 2017 and that in the most recent full year the program distributed nearly 215,000 units. He also reported more than 11,000 recorded reversals attributed to distribution and training efforts the state program supports.

David Lewis, the OAC’s new quality director, presented preliminary county‑level analyses of community grant cycle 1 funding relative to county opioid overdose death metrics. Lewis described two visual approaches: (1) funding aggregated by county and compared to 2023 overdose death rates per 100,000 (counties sorted and grouped into quintiles), where the top two quintiles received 57.6% of cycle 1 funding; and (2) funding per overdose death (total grant funds divided by reported overdose deaths in 2023), which shows smaller, high‑per‑death allocations in some rural counties and lower per‑death amounts in large counties with many deaths (Davidson, Knox, Shelby, Hamilton appear lower on per‑death shading under that method).

Council members discussed how to present the data for cycle 2 application review. Suggestions included adding columns to the submission spreadsheet with the funding‑per‑death metric, providing Grantee Division cuts, and adding dollar‑range histograms to clarify quintile shading. Members emphasized the need to consider raw death counts and rates per 100,000 alongside county population and to ensure date ranges for overdose statistics align with grant effective dates when comparing allocations to outcomes.

No formal council vote was required on these informational items; staff said they will include the additional data columns and options for the council to review as cycle 2 materials are prepared.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Opioid Abatement Council Emergency Meeting: April 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","OAC staff reported approximately $17.6 million in cycle 1 invoice payments processed, summarized semiannual reports from grantees on naloxone distribution, and heard a presentation from the Department of Health’s TN Save a Life program on statewide naloxone and test‑strip distribution and reported reversals.","taxTitle","Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Deparments in Office of the Governor, Organizations, Executive, Tennessee","taxId",17394,"location","Tennessee","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},6578646,"Opioid Abatement Council elects to receive cash from Teva settlement rather than product",176,3335000,3511000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3151627-b7a0b0594c6a76addc0b077ba2fa6ce1&start=3335&end=3511","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3151627-b7a0b0594c6a76addc0b077ba2fa6ce1/thumbnail_3335000.jpg","/articles/6578646/Tennessee/Opioid-Abatement-Council-elects-to-receive-cash-from-Teva-settlement-rather-than-product","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6578646-768e7f656d64c10c3c79ff239665d6ca/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146663&Signature=iMYV2HX-acHaELSuU1kl4W71R9s3TE97gIpyqStQMV2sOkG8jqjcKEWvfU0qgV76EL4G3hFNoMKdYo942lQXGP6Y0J8F3l~GfDezCHHfKZ5ZSWksVY-MQnrdzJ7sk2LQqjoQMDplJTp-SJ7XL51MwOPDblbQWmWwSDdYcQ2Ni5DQFfzRsVT1UB7OqiTagUoKwECiPGH-eiqGC15SPvU8HzuN9SNza9Rnu9LMHEXq6-xDSt~-L0AaK~oddv~gdmMZc5IahRs1kAWVsx92aoGtDDZC3BkuK5z6tCq1agI3VZaaWk-1QO-skPWHGMvF14BULtiLJzdzM12IavWyCDilEw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council voted April 28 to accept the cash payment from the Teva global opioid settlement rather than receive naloxone product shipments. Council staff reported the cash option is roughly $653,000 per year; the product option would have been about 31,369 kits annually (staff estimate ~$20 per kit) with a shorter shelf life.

Mary Shelton told the council that this decision had been taken previously for earlier years because the council lacked a distribution mechanism and Teva did not have a distribution plan in place. Staff said Direct Relief is Teva’s current distributor and that the state could edit Direct Relief’s network (which includes FQHCs and FQHC look‑alikes) but warned product receipt would require additional reporting and likely an extra full‑time equivalent (FTE) position to manage distribution oversight.

Several council members favored the cash option because it provides flexibility and avoids immediate operational demands. Tommy Farmer moved to take cash; Dr. Ken Moore seconded. Roll call recorded support from all members present. The motion carried.

Mary Shelton noted an alternative: the council could accept product and distribute it through community grant cycle 2 grantees that had requested naloxone. Staff said that remains an option if the council later decides to change course, but for this decision the council chose the cash payment to preserve flexibility and avoid adding an immediate administrative burden.

","The council voted to accept the annual cash payment option from the Teva settlement (approximately $653,000 per year) instead of receiving naloxone kits from the manufacturer; staff had warned product distribution via Direct Relief would require extra reporting and possibly another FTE to oversee.",{"_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},6578651,"Opioid Abatement Council authorizes $10,000 annual discretionary fund and approves purchase of an Owl camera",278,1631000,1909000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3151627-b7a0b0594c6a76addc0b077ba2fa6ce1&start=1631&end=1909","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3151627-b7a0b0594c6a76addc0b077ba2fa6ce1/thumbnail_1631000.jpg","/articles/6578651/Tennessee/Opioid-Abatement-Council-authorizes-10000-annual-discretionary-fund-and-approves-purchase-of-an-Owl-camera","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6578651-6d9f43d138d67adca1df9c309dece38b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146663&Signature=kh~LbBh5Bpsz5S3hFq5Tfb8pZmlj7B4rQeMi3E1Z4PqNHU8HbLgN27sWy1Hla1sj5bWnE9-HJMAHKCy3T9MVWRw4aBCUkCDBqC8ZnsuWXvRFv5A86ldw4~WjH8tikKeg3AsFvpHb4BWmR-wQ1neFc71ykw8e2PtvxzEpp-99Z0xxi80NhdqbFKNuxV6Eh3bhJmkW7CrLC2di-Aacyc6O4UVjAIIbWRuWRFmh8r~MQ~iSIS9PmUrf6OkplxX~M6Uhwvv1wnsfDzoq7y0ShczkXDogKR0VluPEox-KiLHXCq6VhokxUx-ySFzJH4vk5xL~wwSXk6EoDegF7nBahxQrXQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council voted April 28 to establish a $10,000 annual discretionary fund for the executive director and to allow the one‑time purchase of an Owl audiovisual device (estimated at about $2,000) to improve hybrid meeting capacity when members attend virtually.

Executive Director Mary Shelton told the council the office requests a discretionary fund for in‑person lunch meetings, a holiday dinner and recognition plaques for rotating members, estimating routine yearly needs at about $2,100 and noting the Owl camera is a separate, one‑time expense. The Owl device includes camera, microphone and speaker; staff tested one device at an AIM Center meeting in Chattanooga and reported positive feedback.

Dr. Ken Moore said staff need modest flexibility to avoid returning to the council for small administrative expenditures; he proposed $10,000 annually with quarterly invoice reporting. Dr. Moore moved the $10,000 annual discretionary amount and confirmed it would include the Owl purchase; Gen. Charm Allen seconded. The motion passed on roll call without recorded opposition.

The council instructed the executive director to provide quarterly reports of discretionary expenditures to the council. Members said the fund should be used only for routine administrative costs and that invoices should be available at regular intervals for oversight.

","The council approved an annual $10,000 discretionary fund for the executive director to cover routine administrative expenses and authorized using that fund to purchase an Owl audiovisual device (about $2,000) to improve hybrid meeting capability.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6578656,"Opioid Abatement Council approves revised MTSU contracts after $400,000 reallocation to mileage",466,433000,899000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3151627-b7a0b0594c6a76addc0b077ba2fa6ce1&start=433&end=899","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3151627-b7a0b0594c6a76addc0b077ba2fa6ce1/thumbnail_433000.jpg","/articles/6578656/Tennessee/Opioid-Abatement-Council-approves-revised-MTSU-contracts-after-400000-reallocation-to-mileage","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6578656-bd58b175ded88e4042dcc07d5c57ab45/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146663&Signature=XB1mgug61CMMAUey7z2pJdkq6oUe8DTdIxuX1qMSBCU-b6AjcVQFEBBWGFrG-hPxIafdpnwPf4dnTaQCzT3XlJII-jhplhGCbUnFTEicMhiI~AaEIKg25S9Ar9WeJWuBkgnaJcwOEqxvrzuoqQUX3JrVMboCTsGmzdMMc~TFRO1cEqCRNEn3ksyBLKAKlZ2liTFiVSMRZTpFhK6LpS0OWYhZSU1dsmcEWsI2vmvlCB7q2veqxfluz7cMq17M2-Wdx18-gPQqBE3KudyH8Mmet029buB7mojj2I87moPyGioLkXhXV2OMmE0Z568b40~h0q2aJ8tyAChmmG9KlDOwxw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council on April 28 approved revised three‑year contracts with Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) and Hustle Recovery that remove provision for 10 vans and reallocate the $400,000 originally budgeted for those vehicles to mileage reimbursements.

Council Chair Dr. Steven Lloyd announced the vote after staff presented the revised budgets and a comptroller recommendation to subcontract services provided by Hustle Recovery if MTSU is the direct contractor. Executive Director Mary Shelton said the council has negotiated two separate contracts: one for expansion of respite housing (about $5,300,000 over three years) and one for a residential aftercare program (about $3,300,000 over three years). She told the council the ten vans previously in the two contracts accounted for approximately $400,000 and that MTSU proposed reallocating that amount to mileage costs.

The office described the mileage reimbursement at 70 cents per mile and said MTSU justified the increase on the basis of actual use being higher than the original estimates. MTSU and Hustle Recovery proposed oversight measures: monthly mileage logs Hustle Recovery must submit, a program coordinator at MTSU to review those logs and reports based on a Life360 application Hustle Recovery uses, and additional internal review. MTSU representatives also said they had revised the budget to preserve the original total contract amounts rather than increasing the contract totals.

Hustle Recovery staff explained that some services will continue to use owned, grant‑purchased vehicles and that staff personal vehicles will be used only to supplement transportation when needed. Troy Sander of Hustle Recovery said staff drivers have required endorsements and personal liability insurance; the non‑owned/hired vehicles will be covered by a $1,000,000 auto liability policy with a $2,000,000 umbrella.

Council discussion focused on the oddity of replacing a fixed‑asset line item (vans) with an identical dollar amount for mileage and on how the program will verify and oversee mileage reporting. Dr. Ken Moore, who moved approval, said the contracts represent a small portion of the total grant funding to MTSU and that the tracking procedures proposed were sufficient for him to support moving forward. Dr. Moore moved approval; Brian Buck seconded. In the roll call that followed, all present members voted yes except Chair Steven Lloyd, who recorded an abstention. The motion carried.

What the council approved was the office recommendation to proceed with contracting based on the revised budgets and the additional oversight steps described. Staff said the reallocation does not increase the total amount of either contract and that any overage would be absorbed by the service provider while unspent funds would remain as unspent allocations.

The council asked staff to continue monitoring actual mileage against the projected reimbursements and to report back if the variance grows beyond the small quarter‑to‑quarter differences staff observed in a three‑month sample.

","The Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council voted to approve revised three‑year contracts with Middle Tennessee State University and Hustle Recovery that remove 10 vans and reallocate the $400,000 originally budgeted for vehicles to mileage reimbursements, with new oversight measures for mileage reporting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council reports $17.6 million paid to cycle 1 grantees; state program reports nearly one million naloxone units distributed since 2017

Opioid Abatement Council elects to receive cash from Teva settlement rather than product

Opioid Abatement Council authorizes $10,000 annual discretionary fund and approves purchase of an Owl camera

Opioid Abatement Council approves revised MTSU contracts after $400,000 reallocation to mileage