Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Opioid Abatement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Dinwiddie supervisors accept opioid-settlement share and authorize regional abatement agreement
Summary
The Dinwiddie County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved acceptance of a small share of a Henry Schein opioid settlement and authorized the county administrator to join a regional opioid-abatement operating agreement to fund peer recovery specialists and related services. Staff estimated Dinwiddie's settlement share at about $1,215.37 and described multi-year OAA funding for a regional program.
The Dinwiddie County Board of Supervisors on July 15 unanimously approved a resolution to accept the county's portion of a proposed settlement with Henry Schein Inc. and authorized the county administrator to finalize an operating agreement for a regional opioid-abatement project.
County counsel told the board a $450,000 settlement offered by Henry Schein and related entities would be allocated among Virginia defendants and that Dinwiddie's share "appears to be somewhere in the neighborhood of $1,215.37," subject to final accounting and attorneys' fees. Counsel recommended dedicating any proceeds to opioid-remediation efforts; the board approved the resolution on a roll-call vote with all members present voting aye (Doctor Moore, Mister Chavis, Missy Brown Bonner, Mister Lee).
The board also authorized participation in a multi-jurisdictional project coordinated with Greater Reach Community Services Board (District 19), Hopewell, Prince George and Surrey counties. Staff described an operating agreement that would fund one full-time team lead and two full-time peer recovery specialists to respond to opioid overdoses, provide referrals to treatment and harm-reduction materials, and conduct outreach. Prince George will serve as fiscal agent; Greater Reach will manage staffing and report on success metrics.
Staff described funding sources held by the Opioid Abatement Authority (OAA): board materials referenced roughly $18,832.60 in individual-distribution funds and about $4,708 in so-called gold-standard funds earmarked for the project, with those amounts held at the OAA and disbursed on request. Project budget items listed in the packet included two leased vehicles, laptops and phones for staff, and harm-reduction kits; initial funding was presented as annual appropriations intended to cover the first five years, with OAA support targeted for that period.
County counsel said the operating agreement was subject to minor changes as other localities finalize approvals, and the resolution before the board authorized the county administrator to approve those final edits and sign the agreement so the regional effort could proceed on a common timetable. The board voted to approve the operating agreement authorization by roll call (all voting aye).
The board's approvals do not commit the county beyond the funding and approval steps identified in the operating agreement; staff said any disbursements from OAA-held funds will follow the agreement and applicable reporting requirements.
Next steps: county staff will finalize the operating agreement language with partner localities, complete any required procurement and reporting exhibits, and return to the board if substantive changes to Dinwiddie's obligations are required.
