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Commissioners approve interlocal agreement to pool restricted opioid settlement funds under J-RAC oversight
Summary
County commissioners agreed to sign an interlocal agreement allowing local communities to pool restricted opioid settlement (abatement) funds and direct spending recommendations to the county through the J-RAC advisory board; the board will provide grant-style awards and reporting metrics.
DeKalb County commissioners approved an interlocal agreement to coordinate restricted opioid settlement funds with area towns and route spending recommendations through the county's J-RAC advisory process.
Mike, a county official who worked on the plan, told commissioners the agreement was rewritten from an earlier memorandum of understanding after input from local municipal leaders. He said the revised interlocal agreement focuses on returning only restricted "abatement" funds to a joint decision process led by the J-RAC board rather than pooling all unrestricted payments.
Mike said the J-RAC board is currently chaired by Judge Adam Squiller and includes representatives from the prosecutor's office, public defender, sheriff, community corrections and behavioral-health organizations. He explained the justification: the restricted funds must be spent on opioid treatment, addiction services and related abatement activities, and the board structure provides transparency and the reporting required by the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA).
"Sticking with the J-RAC board ... allows that board to make sure that we meet every single one of the obligations when we're spending that opioid fund money on treatment and addiction," Mike said. He also said the county previously completed a sequential intercept mapping exercise that provides a needs assessment and supports grant-style award metrics.
Commissioners discussed whether smaller towns that choose not to participate would be excluded; Mike said communities that do not sign the agreement remain independent and that smaller payments below a statutory threshold may revert to the county. Commissioner Bill moved to have the county sign the interlocal agreement; the motion was seconded and passed on a voice vote.
The agreement sets up a grant-style process by which municipalities and local providers can apply for funds; J-RAC will vote on proposals and the county council will allocate funds pursuant to those votes. Mike and staff will circulate the agreement to interested municipalities for their board approvals and signatures.
