Boulder County is dispersing $1.8 million in opioid settlement money to 25 local programs, county officials announced Friday.
The Boulder County Region Opioid Council met in mid-December to approve recommendations for the funding, which is coming from national settlements with opioid distributors and manufacturers.
An 18-year distribution timeline has been established for the funds, and the county’s $1.8 million is for year one.
The Boulder County Region Opioid Council, which includes municipal and county leaders, is tasked with monitoring and investing the settlement dollars. An advisory committee of subject-matter experts, people who’ve experienced opioid abuse and professionals — the Opioid Operations Group — recommended the 25 initial program recipients for the first two rounds of settlement funding.
The Longmont-specific programs that received funding include:
- REWiND — Rebuilding Expectations and Walking in New Directions: $98,052
- LEAD - Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion Program: $75,000
- RestART Studio: $45,000
- Parenting Support: $40,000
The funding amounts are subject to change as the programs are allowed to request a budget amendment of up to 10% “in recognition of how much personnel costs have increased in the time between when programs originally submitted their funding requests — in June of 2022 — and now,” said Kelly Veit, program manager with the county’s Community Services Department.
Other local programs and initiatives that are receiving funding include:
- LEAF Mental Wellness & Addition Recovery, Lyons Emergency & Assistance Fund
- Pride in Recovery, Out Boulder County
- Adventure Recovery, nonprofit
- AccuDetox/AcuWellness, Natural Highs
- Medication Assisted Treatment Expansion Project, Mental Health Partners
- Youth in Recovery, nonprofit
- Substance Abuse Advisory Group, Boulder County Community Services
- Community health worker training, Mental Health Partners
- Community Narcan Web; public service announcement and awareness building campaigns; overdose prevention vending machines; and harm reduction supplies and servicing, Boulder County Public Health
The settlement money is also going to new hires, such as an opioid case manager with the Boulder County Jail and harm reduction staff at Boulder County Public Health.
The funding will also be used to purchase a range of new investigation equipment for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office.
The program recipients were chosen based on the Colorado Attorney General’s funding categories: harm reduction, prevention and education, criminal justice, treatment and recovery.
“In the coming months, Boulder County Community Services Department staff along with the Opioid Operations Group will seek to develop a broader strategy that sets future funding priorities,” the county said in a news release. “This will provide opportunities to invest in additional programs that reflect increased input from community members, subject matter experts, and other community stakeholders.”
