Union County outlines strategic plan for $17.7 million in opioid settlement funds

Union County staff told the Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 15 that the county will receive about $17.7 million from national opioid settlements to be paid over an 18-year period and described how the county plans to use and account for the funds.

The presentation, led by county staff and technical assistance staff from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC), said the county has placed settlement proceeds in a special revenue fund, has received about $6.64 million in initial payments and that the county previously authorized $2.7 million in first-phase funding for eight initiatives running July 2023 through June 30, 2026. County staff also reported a likely third “wave” of payments estimated at about $2.1 million and said additional waves are possible but not expected to be significant.

The update matters because the North Carolina memorandum of agreement (MOA) governing the settlements sets specific rules on how local governments must structure, authorize, spend and report settlement dollars. Neeti (Niti) Such Deva, director of strategic health and opioid initiatives with the NCACC, told the board the state negotiated an MOA that directs about 85% of North Carolina’s settlement money to local governments and requires several guardrails, including using a special revenue fund, board authorization for spending before it occurs, and annual public meetings.

County staff summarized the MOA’s five broad local requirements discussed at the meeting: create and use a special revenue fund to isolate…