Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Opioid Settlement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tucson officials outline opioid settlement spending plans, urge county and state partners to act
Summary
City staff told the mayor and council that RFPs for opioid settlement funds are in progress, with $8 million planned for year‑one awards and a projected total receipt currently estimated near $127 million; council pressed for clarity on allocations and use of funds for treatment, shelters and the Mission Annex.
Mayor Regina Romero opened the presentation by calling for jurisdictional partners to step up funding and coordination to respond to the local fentanyl and opioid public‑health crisis.
Lee Hopkins, resource manager for Community Safety, Health and Wellness, told the council the city and regional opioid settlement advisory committee (ROSAC) have received a large number of applications. Hopkins said $8,000,000 is slated for investments in the coming year, with a separate allocation for the SAFER center now in final negotiations "but the bidders are confidential," and that ROSAC plans to invest a total of about $33,500,000 through February 2028 as part of a multi‑year approach. On the larger scale, Hopkins described a current projection of roughly $126,897,093 expected over time but cautioned the amount can change if defendants declare bankruptcy.
Hopkins said planned spending areas for the first tranche include prevention programming for youth, peer navigation, wraparound transitional services, law enforcement co‑response and a sobering center. He told council the June memo and the RFP documents include categorical allocations and that staff will circulate that detail to members’ offices on request.
Council members asked detailed questions about funding for long‑term residential treatment and whether insurance covers injectable MAT; Councilmember Ullick urged the committee to explore proposals to blend and layer funding to pay for longer residential stays where necessary. Hopkins said applicants can seek allocations for peer navigation and transitional services that may help bridge the residential gap.
Councilmember Cunningham asked staff to provide a clearer, line‑item breakdown of the $7.7 million annual average figure the committee is using. Staff responded that a June 17 memo contains the requested categories and that they would re‑send it to council offices. Councilmember Cunningham and others pressed to use settlement money to expand daily services at transition centers and to consider activating the county’s Mission Annex for medically assisted treatment, detox and wraparound services.
The city manager and police chief also described enforcement and outreach components of the Safe City initiative, noting recent deployments that yielded arrests and the seizure of fentanyl and other drugs. Police leadership said arrests are one element of a broader strategy that must include increased access to treatment and housing supports.
What’s next: staff said RFP awards are under way and final contracting timelines depend on negotiations and applicant performance; council asked for continued updates and for staff to circulate the June memo and RFP category breakdowns to council offices.
