Division proposes using opioid‑settlement funds for family preservation and expanded kinship care grants
February 18, 2025 | 2025 Legislature NV, Nevada
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The Division of Welfare and Supportive Services proposed using opioid‑settlement funds routed through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) budget account to fund two initiatives: (1) contracts with counties or nonprofit partners to provide family preservation or support services for families affected by opioid and other substance use, and (2) an expansion of the existing kinship care grant to remove the guardian age requirement and target children removed from parental care due to opioid use.
Robert Thompson said the division will use budget account 3230 and related TANF processes because those systems of eligibility, reporting and subaward management already exist; he said that approach avoids creating a new computer system and keeps administrative overhead lower than starting a new program. Thompson said, “By using the same reporting process that we already have in place, but adding the criteria in the reporting process that it must have been an impact of opioid use, we are confident that we will be able to build that those reports.”
Legislators asked whether the opioid funds would be used to backfill existing TANF needs. Thompson and staff said the funds would be targeted to children and families specifically impacted by substance use and would require contractors to report use of funds for that purpose. The division said the awards would likely be processed through counties or nonprofit partners and that subawards could be issued within roughly six months once approved, given prior relationships with many potential providers.
On kinship care, staff said the current TANF kinship program requires guardians to be 62 or older; the division proposed removing the 62‑year age floor so younger grandparents, aunts, uncles or other relatives caring for children removed because of opioid use can qualify. Thompson said children would be referred through court and drug‑court processes to ensure eligibility.
Funding: committee members and staff discussed a proposed $10 million allocation of opioid settlement funds to these TANF‑administered programs over the biennium; the division said the dollars would be tracked with a separate aid code and reporting to ensure they are used for opioid‑impacted families. Division staff said the system work to add a new aid code is a one‑time cost and would not be requested in future bienniums.
Robert Thompson said the division will use budget account 3230 and related TANF processes because those systems of eligibility, reporting and subaward management already exist; he said that approach avoids creating a new computer system and keeps administrative overhead lower than starting a new program. Thompson said, “By using the same reporting process that we already have in place, but adding the criteria in the reporting process that it must have been an impact of opioid use, we are confident that we will be able to build that those reports.”
Legislators asked whether the opioid funds would be used to backfill existing TANF needs. Thompson and staff said the funds would be targeted to children and families specifically impacted by substance use and would require contractors to report use of funds for that purpose. The division said the awards would likely be processed through counties or nonprofit partners and that subawards could be issued within roughly six months once approved, given prior relationships with many potential providers.
On kinship care, staff said the current TANF kinship program requires guardians to be 62 or older; the division proposed removing the 62‑year age floor so younger grandparents, aunts, uncles or other relatives caring for children removed because of opioid use can qualify. Thompson said children would be referred through court and drug‑court processes to ensure eligibility.
Funding: committee members and staff discussed a proposed $10 million allocation of opioid settlement funds to these TANF‑administered programs over the biennium; the division said the dollars would be tracked with a separate aid code and reporting to ensure they are used for opioid‑impacted families. Division staff said the system work to add a new aid code is a one‑time cost and would not be requested in future bienniums.
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