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Board previews funding cycle: applications due April 15; staff to provide mapping data and explore naloxone vending options and transport gaps
Summary
Staff briefed the board on the upcoming grant application cycle, data-driven mapping plans, naloxone vending research, and transportation challenges for clients in outlying communities.
County program staff said the application deadline for funding cycle 1 is April 15 and described outreach, reviewer composition and plans to split voting between May and June if application volume is high.
Sarah, the program lead, said she has run three application sessions and expects most applications to arrive on the deadline. She said reviewers will include faculty and professionals in public health and treatment/recovery; a minimum of three reviewers will score each application and the scores and comments will be collated for the board. Sarah recommended dividing voting on cycle 1 between May and June to manage a likely increase in applications.
Staff also presented provisional incident mapping for nonfatal overdoses since Jan. 1 and noted hotspots near La Vergne, south of Smyrna, hotel/motel corridors, and neighborhoods near the university. Sarah said she is working with MTSU geospatial faculty to produce layered maps that show incident heat maps together with treatment sites, naloxone distribution points and funded nonprofits so residents can see both challenges and resources.
On harm‑reduction vending machines for naloxone, staff reported research into models used in other states: Oklahoma rolled back a statewide vending rollout due to data‑tracking problems, while other local examples (Nashville and parts of Michigan) have mixed implementation approaches. Sarah said options include outdoor refrigerated machines (used and then withdrawn in one statewide rollout) and indoor, non-wired dispensers similar to restroom vending units; staff will provide vendor information and recorded training materials for the board to review.
Board members raised transportation barriers to treatment for rural areas such as La Vergne and Eagleville. Members discussed alternatives including mileage reimbursement, coordinating with Murfreesboro/MTA transit routes, mobile MAT (medication-assisted treatment) units, and direct funding of targeted transportation. Members warned of oversight and federal-grant restrictions if vans are purchased with multiple funding sources. Staff agreed to reach out to Murfreesboro transit and to provide more detail on transportation options and potential constraints.
No formal board action was taken on mapping, vending machines or transportation; staff will return with additional research and data at future meetings.
