Lawrence committee hears opioid-settlement updates as dispute over pregnancy-tracker app surfaces

Lawrence City Councilors and city staff received an update on local spending of opioid-settlement dollars and heard reports from community partners on March 12, as a proposed contract to develop an opioid-focused version of a pregnancy-tracking app prompted a request for a legal review.

The update opened after the committee removed item 44-25 — titled “opioid settlement funds update / Modelo application development” — from the table for discussion. Director Awilda Pimentel told the committee the city has used settlement and grant money to build a network of prevention, harm-reduction and treatment supports, saying, “The overdose crisis has disproportionately affected our population.”

Why it matters: The committee’s discussion tied service reports to proposals for further technology and outreach spending. Councilors pressed whether public money is the appropriate funding source to adapt a commercial pregnancy-tracking product for people impacted by opioid use, and requested a city-attorney review after learning a senior advisor to the mayor has a family tie to the app’s leadership.

What presenters said - Awilda Pimentel, Director, Office of Planning & Community Development: Pimentel summarized the city’s opioid work, including weekly “hub” meetings that engage more than 50 partner organizations and use settlement and grant funds for prevention, treatment, harm reduction, youth prevention and recovery supports. She noted the city leveraged a COSOP grant of roughly $1,200,000 to supplement local work. - Lieutenant (Lawrence Police Department) Fleming reported on overdose trends to justify non‑traditional policing partnerships: “In 02/2024, we had 177 overdoses. 144 non fatal and 33 of those were fatal.” He described…