Fountain Hills youth coalition outlines how opioid settlement funds pay for fentanyl prevention and youth programs

Tammy Bell, executive director of the Fountain Hills Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, reported to the Town Council on how the coalition has used the town’s opioid settlement allocation and outlined a five‑year plan.

“Between now and 02/1930, we are pursuing clear goals,” Bell said, presenting targets that include increasing distribution of safe-home kits and expanding the youth-led Above That Club. Program manager Elizabeth Waters described specific activities: Protect Our Game (athlete-focused safe-home kits and Narcan distribution), targeted media that the coalition said generated more than 364,000 impressions, community speaker series and a student “Above That Club” launched in January.

Student leaders Peyton Jokens and Maya Ruiz spoke at the meeting. Ruiz, the newly elected club president, described her motivation in personal terms: “When I was just 8 years old, I lost my father to fentanyl overdose,” she said. Ruiz and other student leaders said peer-to-peer prevention, visible messages at high‑risk moments (for example, graduation nights) and distribution of lockable pill containers and Narcan are central to reducing fatal misuse.

Bell gave a finance summary: the coalition had received $135,346 in opioid settlement money to date and reported using $36,582 of that in the first year on five strategies (targeted advertising, community partnerships, youth programs and leadership training, high-risk messaging and family engagement). The coalition said it expects to need about $63,000 annually to sustain the five‑year plan and that prior staff salaries were funded by a separate federal Drug-Free Communities grant.

Council members praised the program. Councilwoman Earl asked whether coalition staff were paid; Bell said salaries have been paid by the Drug‑Free Communities grant and the coalition plans to include some staff costs in future settlement spending. No formal action or additional funding was requested or approved at the meeting.

Why it matters: The council’s opioid settlement allocation funds prevention work aimed at fentanyl awareness, youth leadership and community-based protective programs. The coalition linked its activities to measurable outputs (kits distributed, impressions, event attendance) and set multiyear targets.

Where this came from: Presentation by coalition representatives Tammy Bell and Elizabeth Waters with student speakers; financial report included in council packet.