McAlester approves Cree Oaks contract to manage opioid-abatement funds; plan includes clinic, housing assistance and prevention programs

The McAlester City Council on June 24 approved a contract for service with Cree Oaks to manage the city’s opioid-abatement settlement funds and deliver locally-based programs, including a medication-for-opioid-use-disorder (MOUD) clinic, housing assistance, and prevention education.

Cree Oaks representatives outlined a multi-year implementation and sustainability plan that the organization said fits within the permitted uses of the opioid settlement money. The packet distributed to councilors detailed program elements, annual costs and a 10-year sustainability plan. Cree Oaks staff said the program is structured so funds go directly to vendors (for example, landlords or housing providers) rather than to individual clients.

Ashley Ridge, opioid-abatement project manager for Cree Oaks, told the council the plan includes a clinic that would initially operate "one day a week" in McAlester, with the city covering a portion of the nurse's time. Ridge said that medication and clinic services would be provided at no cost to clients enrolled through the program.

Cree Oaks also proposed a Housing First Assistance Fund intended to help people experiencing homelessness or housing instability who also have substance-use issues. The contract packet included application and eligibility procedures and a multi-step approval process that Cree Oaks said is designed to produce auditable records so the city can document compliance for the Attorney General and local audits.

Cree Oaks presented a community-education series option for multiple audiences—city employees, first responders, teachers and parents—as well as a school-based prevention curriculum (the packet cited an evidence-based program and included start-up training and supplies). The organization said it has run similar programs in nearby counties and provided results, including a report that its Housing First pilot helped 22 people stay housed and engage in recovery.

Cree Oaks staff said the city will receive five tranches of settlement funding under the agreement — they listed expected payment years as 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2032 — and that the total projected receipts used in the plan equal $569,000 over the term. Cree Oaks said it structured the plan so the fund balance would not be exhausted before the end of the 10-year plan and that quarterly invoices and annual audits would provide reporting to both the Attorney General and the city.

Councilors asked about oversight and sustainability; Cree Oaks said they will provide regular status updates and that the program is intended to be auditable and to allow the city to seek additional funds in later grant cycles if the city produces strong outcome data. The council voted in favor of accepting the contract; roll-call recorded yes votes from Councilor Delmore, Councilor Woodley, Vice Mayor Beatty, Councilor Stone and the mayor.

The contract language, budget pages and the 10-year sustainability table are part of the public meeting packet and will be available through the city clerk’s office for anyone seeking details.