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Board approves $5M in opioid‑settlement NOFA awards and $3.8M match for Bond 1 treatment campus
Summary
The Board unanimously approved DHS recommendations to award $5 million in opioid settlement funds to community programs (sober‑living, prevention, syringe‑exchange) and to use $3.8 million as a local cash match for a BCHIP Bond 1 award to remodel Orinda Detox and build a 40‑bed residential treatment facility.
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 26 approved proposed opioid‑settlement NOFA award recommendations totaling $5 million and supported using $3.8 million from settlement funds as a cash match for a BCHIP Bond 1 infrastructure grant.
DHS officials said the NOFA sought projects that address regional inequities and high‑impact abatement activities (a requirement for the settlement funds). Will Gajowski, SUD section manager, described three intent‑to‑award projects: Buckalew’s sober‑living proposal (four residences covering up to 68 people with matching financing from Poppy Bank), West County Health Center’s prevention and youth‑focused programming in Guerneville, and DAC’s syringe‑exchange and harm‑reduction outreach.
Why it matters: county staff stressed that opioid settlement funds present an uncommon funding opportunity to expand prevention, harm reduction and treatment capacity and to address geographic and demographic disparities (including targeted supports for men, men with children, and BIPOC residents in West County).
Key funding plan: DHS recommended $5 million for the NOFA awards; staff also reported a successful BCHIP Bond 1 award of $67.7 million for a project to remodel the Orinda Detox campus and build a 40‑bed residential SUD facility and proposed a $3.8 million opioid settlement cash match toward that project.
Board action and reaction: Supervisors praised the NOFA process and data‑driven priorities. The board moved and unanimously approved the award recommendations and funding plan. Supervisors emphasized fiscal caution — DHS staff said the county has received $12.7 million to date and projects additional settlement revenues over 14 years but will continue to build reserves and assess expenditures carefully.
Next steps: Staff will finalize contracts with awardees, monitor outcomes, and return periodic reports. The board asked for timelines for receipt of future settlement tranches and suggested exploring bonding or other financing strategies should construction timelines warrant accelerated capital investment.
