Attorney General Kobach presented a proposal asking the board to fund a statewide effort to place naloxone (Narcan) in repurposed newspaper-distribution boxes and to run an advertising campaign to publicize the locations and the life-saving use of naloxone. The board approved the $177,060 request unanimously.

Kobach said the number of fentanyl deaths continues to climb and that making naloxone widely and publicly available — and informing the public where it can be found — could save lives. "The number of fentanyl deaths continues to increase. We're now over 1500," Kobach said during his presentation. He described the boxes' model as one used by a nonprofit in South Dakota and proposed placing 40 boxes in locations that include or are near the state's four-year colleges and universities.

The proposal called for 40 boxes at $676 each (including installation and delivery), $150,000 for advertising (television, YouTube and social media) and a stock of naloxone doses to supply the boxes and for distribution at public events. Kobach said the office also plans direct distribution at public events (for example, a table at the state fair) and that his staff would use existing contacts to place boxes and promote them.

Chris Teeters of the Attorney General's office updated the board earlier in the meeting on settlement-related guidance for subdivisions, noting that participation forms for the Purdue settlements and other manufacturer settlements had been circulated to local governments; he emphasized that settlement dollars are restricted for opioid-related programs and encouraged subdivisions to report any settlement funds they receive to the Attorney General's office to avoid confusion about expenditures.

Board members asked how the Attorney General's Office would coordinate with existing local efforts. A board member noted that other entities already have boxes in Lawrence and asked whether those locations could be included in a unified map. Kobach said his office would welcome coordination: "We'd love to coordinate with them," he said, and suggested the statewide map or PSA could include boxes placed by other groups.

Board members also asked about the advertising plan and noted that social media and YouTube would be important channels. Kobach confirmed the advertising budget is intended for broadcast and social media placement as well as YouTube.

After brief comments in support from multiple board members describing the proposal as a relatively small, scalable investment to expand access to naloxone, a board member moved to approve the grant and another member seconded. The motion passed on a unanimous voice vote.

Votes at a glance

- Attorney General naloxone/distribution box grant: motion to approve a $177,060 grant to the Attorney General's Office to purchase and install 40 repurposed distribution boxes (estimated $676 per box), stock naloxone (7,000 units requested for Year 1 including 150 per box and 1,000 for public distribution), and fund advertising ($150,000). Outcome: approved unanimously.

- Approval of July board meeting minutes: motion moved by Jason, seconded by Robin; outcome: unanimous approval.

- Sunflower Foundation quarterly administrative invoice (April–June): $109,269.82 requested to reimburse administrative/project support and indirect costs; outcome: approved unanimously (motion and second by board members recorded in meeting).

- Reimbursement for MFAF conference-related expenses: $4,993.76 requested for attendee support (meals/accommodations/lunch/snacks); outcome: approved unanimously (motion and second recorded).

- Adoption of KU needs assessment report and associated materials (appendix, presentation slides, ArcGIS map) and direction to post materials to Project United website: motion moved by Robin, seconded by Sandra; outcome: unanimous adoption.

Why this matters: the Attorney General framed the request as a rapid, potentially life-saving distribution and public awareness campaign to reach people who may witness or experience an opioid or fentanyl overdose, especially near college campuses. The board framed the vote in the context of broader settlement planning and the foundation's current and proposed funding strategies.

Ending

Board members said they wanted to coordinate closely with existing local efforts, keep the program scalable, and move quickly; several suggested the plan could expand if successful. The Attorney General's Office said it will begin implementation steps and coordinate location information with Sunflower staff so other existing boxes can be included on any public-facing map. The board asked staff to help coordinate with local partners and approved the funding to begin the rollout immediately.