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Commissioner proposes using opioid-settlement dollars to help fund Southwest Counseling
Summary
A commissioner proposed applying $250,000–$300,000 of county-held opioid-settlement funds to offset the county contribution for Southwest Counseling; legal and billing complexities mean the plan requires further work and possible budget amendment.
During budgeting discussions, one commissioner suggested using a portion of the county’s opioid-settlement fund to reduce the county’s FY26 contribution to Southwest Counseling.
The proposal—cited in the workshop at $250,000 to $300,000—would not be automatic: commissioners and staff said the allocation must avoid interfering with existing third-party billing streams and requires a defensible accounting mechanism. The idea has preliminary support from the attorney’s office and from the Southwest Counseling liaison, but members emphasized that staff must identify how the opioid dollars would cover gaps without disrupting service billing.
Why it matters: reallocating settlement funds could reduce pressure on general reserves and protect community behavioral-health services, but it requires policy, accounting and possibly contractual work before funds are used. Commissioners signaled intent to explore the option further and noted that any transfer might be handled via a subsequent budget amendment rather than during a workshop.
