Opioid committee reports 52 funding applications, requests far exceed available funds

At the Sept. 8 meeting of the Tulsa County Board of County Commissioners, Robert Harmon reported on behalf of the opioid committee that the group received far more funding requests than available resources.

"The opioid committee had a total of, 52 applications for funding, over, I think, $27,000,000 in requested funding. We only had somewhere around a million to a million and a half to award out each year in order to stay sustainable," Robert Harmon said.

Commissioners then moved to approve the items related to the committee’s recommendations as presented on the agenda (items 1, 2 and 3). The motions passed by roll call.

Why it matters

The gap between requested funds and available awards highlights continued demand among local providers and programs addressing opioid-related needs. The committee’s constrained annual award amount will limit how many applicants can be funded this cycle.

What was approved

The board approved the agenda items related to the opioid committee’s recommendations as listed on the meeting agenda (referred to as items 1–3 in the public record). The transcript does not specify award recipients or award amounts for each approved item; those specifics were not read into the record at the time of the motion.

Next steps

The transcript indicates the committee used an external needs assessment (Healthy Minds) to inform recommendations. The board’s approvals mean staff will proceed with whatever award instructions or agreements accompany the approved items; the meeting record does not include detailed award amounts or recipient names. The county or the committee will need to publish award details separately for public review.