The county administration presented proposed disbursements from opioid settlement funds during the Committee of the Whole meeting on May 6, recommending a total allocation of $2,398,131 to three county recipients.

Chief administrative staff summarized the proposed distribution as follows: $1,300,000 to Claretel Behavioral Health, $620,000 to the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, and about $434,000 to DeKalb Public Health. The funds are intended to support treatment, training and lifesaving supplies such as naloxone (Narcan). "Part of the settlement allows us to, mass a certain amount of funds ... part of the settlement accounts for purchasing of Narcan, providing training, and things like that," a county staff member explained.

Committee referrals and next steps: Commissioners suggested committee assignments for further review and oversight. The Sheriff's portion will be heard by the Finance, Audit and Budget (FAB) committee because of the Sheriff's Office budgetary oversight; Claretel Behavioral Health and Public Health allocations were recommended for discussion in the Public Safety/Community Services (PECS) committee. Commissioners said the items would appear on next week's committee agendas for more detailed review prior to final board action.

Why this matters: opioid-settlement funds are restricted by the settlement terms to address harms caused by opioid distribution and typically finance treatment, harm-reduction supplies and related public-health interventions. The disbursement will direct county resources for treatment, naloxone procurement and first-responder support.

Ending: Commissioners referred the three allocations to the appropriate committees (FAB and PECS) for detailed review next week and signaled intent to consider final approvals after committee discussion.