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DBHDD trustee describes $638M opioid settlement, governance and $50M first‑year grant round
Summary
DBHDD Commissioner Kevin Tanner outlined Georgia’s $638 million opioid settlement structure and said the trustee will release roughly $50 million in the first‑year grant round to statewide and regional projects focused on treatment, harm reduction and related services.
Kevin Tanner described the structure and initial grant rollout for Georgia’s opioid settlement proceeds after litigation with manufacturers and distributors.
Tanner said the total statewide settlement is $638 million, of which 25% (about $159 million) will be paid directly to participating local governments and 75% (about $479 million) will flow through a statewide trust. Payments from manufacturers and distributors will occur over an extended schedule (some payments over 18 years), Tanner said.
The settlement agreement includes restrictions on eligible uses to prevent the broad fungibility that characterized the tobacco settlement; eligible uses include medication assisted treatment, naloxone distribution, maternal‑and‑infant supports, reentry services for incarcerated people, harm reduction, data, and research. Governance was set up with regional advisory councils (RACs) for DBHDD’s six regions and a statewide advisory council; local governments (including five qualifying block grantees in large jurisdictions) will make regional decisions for allocated shares. Tanner said every RAC includes a member with lived experience.
Tanner said the trust opened grant rounds and received requests totaling about $250 million for the first year; the trustee will release about $50 million in year‑one grants, with a second round planned in April, and he provided high‑level counts: 128 approved projects, 79 regional and 49 statewide recommendations, with year‑one regional funding around $14.47M and statewide year‑one funding around $28.93M.
Ending: Tanner said contracts would be issued for initial awards in March and that local governments receiving direct shares will administer those funds and report to the trustee.
