Committee reviews draft opioid settlement bill, keeps syringe services and sustainability rules in place

A legislative committee reviewed draft 4.1 of an opioid settlement bill on Feb. 14, examining line-by-line appropriations from the Opioid Abatement Special Fund and adding new rules for the advisory council that oversees grant decisions.

Katie, a legislative staff member who read the draft to the panel, said Section 1 would appropriate funds including $455,000 to the Department of Health for 26 outreach or case-management positions, $1,600,000 for recovery residences certified by VITAR, $850,000 for syringe services, and $1,100,000 to the Department of Corrections to fund peer recovery coaches in correctional facilities and probation and parole offices. Katie also read funding for a pre-hospital EMS buprenorphine training and treatment expansion (draft transcript reads "7.248000"), $35,000 for subsidized room and board at Rutland Mental Health Services’ transitional housing program, and roughly $237,646 for public safety liaison/team coordinator positions in several towns to support facilitation, data tracking and outreach.

The committee debated how to target recovery residence funding. Several members said they want at least $900,000 of the recovery-residence allocation directed…