Orange County opioid advisory committee recommends $1M funding for local recovery programs

The Orange County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) held a meeting on May 6, 2025, to discuss the recommendations from the Opioid Advisory Committee regarding the use of settlement funds for opioid-related initiatives. The meeting highlighted the committee's compliance with the settlement agreement and outlined the funding proposal process for the upcoming fiscal year.

The Opioid Advisory Committee presented its recommendations for the allocation of approximately $1 million in settlement funds, which are part of a larger total of over $12 million expected to be received by Orange County. The committee emphasized its commitment to addressing opioid-related health concerns and improving community support through various programs.

Key recommendations included funding for four organizations that submitted proposals aimed at combating opioid misuse and supporting affected individuals. The organizations and their proposed funding amounts are as follows:

1. **P My Health Services**: Recommended for full funding of $50,400 to provide medication for opioid use disorder at no cost to 36 new patients in Carrboro and Chapel Hill.

2. **El Futuro**: Recommended for $50,000 (down from a request of $74,115) to offer services in Spanish and train community mental health workers to address substance use disorders among the Latino population.

3. **Freedom House**: Recommended for $72,000 to support a peer support specialist position, despite a reduced request of $144,926 due to concerns about hiring a medical provider.

4. **UNC SHEC**: Recommended for $37,600, significantly lower than their request of $196,000, to continue their syringe program and community outreach efforts.

The committee's evaluation process included a formal application and scoring rubric, which was a new addition this year. The committee focused on evidence-based strategies and prioritized populations at high risk for opioid misuse. The recommendations will be implemented with contracts awarded starting July 1, 2025.

The meeting underscored the county's ongoing efforts to address the opioid crisis through collaborative community initiatives and targeted funding strategies. The next steps involve finalizing the funding allocations and preparing for the annual meeting scheduled for August 16, 2025, to gather public input on the proposed uses of the settlement funds.