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Health department outlines plan for opioid settlement funds, reports Narcan deployment and seeks to hire public health nurse
Summary
The committee heard that Salem used some opioid settlement funds for downtown Narcan boxes, worked with MAPC on community recommendations, and expects to report back in the fall while continuing to recruit a public health nurse.
The Administration and Finance Committee on June 10 heard from Health Department leadership about staffing, opioid settlement funds and expanded certificate-of-fitness inspections.
Health agent Dave Greenbaum said the department has been using opioid settlement funds strategically, including paying for Narcan boxes around downtown that were deployed at the police department's discretion, and that the city engaged the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) to solicit community input on fund priorities.
"We intend to report out to the community, probably at a board of health meeting, in either probably in the fall, probably September, about what those recommendations were and how best we can use those funds," Greenbaum told the committee. He said the department has not yet hired the staff position tied to settlement spending and that hiring has been slower than hoped; he said there are a couple of candidates and the department hopes to have a candidate in place „in the next, you know, few weeks." The council asked whether a target for hiring this summer was realistic; Greenbaum said, "I would hope yes."
Greenbaum also described staffing supported by a regional public health excellence grant that funds about a dozen positions serving eight North Shore communities; that grant covers salaries and benefits for those staff. He said the department has increased work around certificate-of-fitness inspections following the 2023 code enforcement hire and credited the change with substantially higher inspection participation.
Councilors praised the department's proactive enforcement and outreach work. Councilor Marcello and others thanked inspectors for thoroughness and noted that the city used grant funds and other revenue to support inspection efforts.
Councilor Davis moved to recommend approval of the health department budget (personnel $653,614; expenditures $127,139; department total $780,753); Councilor Harvey seconded and the committee carried the motion.
