Delaware County oversight board discusses opioid settlement funds, MAT trends amid budget task force review

Executive Director O'Malley told the Delaware County Jail Oversight Board in its June meeting that county leaders are exploring the use of opioid settlement funds to support programs and services at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility.

“We are working at a county level, on utilizing the opioid settlement funds for programs and services that any county departments or entities are using to support people, with opioid substance use disorder,” Executive Director O'Malley said, urging staff and facility personnel to submit ideas through their chains of command.

The board heard that the county budget task force — a public group organized into four subcommittees on cost containment, capital improvements, revenue enhancement and budget presentation — will review facility-level expenses and capital needs. O'Malley said the task force, composed of many public applicants, will be provided detailed information on how George W. Hill operates and is funded.

Warden Williams said the facility has been submitting reimbursement requests under opioid grant funding for elements of the jail’s medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program, covering staffing, medication and other resources. “We will continue to do so, to cover elements such as staffing, medication, and resources for those programs,” Williams said.

Williams provided current MAT participation figures: 171 individuals at George W. Hill are on some form of medication for opioid use disorder, representing 15.59 percent of the incarcerated population. Board members and staff discussed trends in specific medications: Williams and others noted a decline in methadone use and differing patterns for buprenorphine forms. Williams said one long‑acting injectable buprenorphine formulation costs about $2,000 and that cost and access can influence whether people in the community and in custody receive that form of treatment.

Board members emphasized two constraints: (1) the need to use non‑county revenue where possible to offset county taxpayer dollars and (2) the limited capacity of settlement funds to cover all needs. Several board members said the budget task force offers an opportunity to educate the public and identify sustainable funding for treatment and reentry services.

Next steps: staff and facility personnel were asked to submit program ideas and proposals for use of the opioid settlement funds through existing chains of command so they can be evaluated by the county and task force.