Relating to the opioid settlement fund, making appropriations and disbursements, and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions

This bill relates to the opioid settlement fund (fund), creates an opioid reserve account (account), and requires a report to the general assembly. The bill provides a standing appropriation from the fund to the department of health and human services (HHS) for FY 2025-2026, FY 2026-2027, and FY 2027-2028.1 million is appropriated to HHS for distribution to administrative services organizations (ASO) to facilitate crisis response, early intervention, treatment, and recovery of opioid addiction in the ASO’s behavioral health district (district). To receive moneys, an ASO must submit a proposal to an evaluation panel (panel) containing the proposed uses of the moneys by the district, and a list of the current opioid-related initiatives within the district funded by moneys from the national settlements that are earmarked for or otherwise required to be transferred or distributed to counties, cities, or other local governmental entities. The attorney general, the director of HHS, and the drug policy director of the office of drug control policy, or their designees, make up the panel. The panel shall review, and approve or deny, each proposal, and give priority to proposals containing documentation of evidence-based practices that effectively address opioid addiction.9 million is appropriated to HHS for statewide prevention initiatives, and for HHS to conduct an evaluation of each program and service funded by moneys from the fund. HHS’s evaluation must include measurable outcomes as determined by the panel. The bill creates an account in the fund under the control of HHS to support districts’ efforts to increase capacity for opioid-related services (services). An ASO may submit an application to the panel for moneys to facilitate a district’s efforts to increase capacity for services by increasing the number of behavioral health providers. The ASO’s application must demonstrate the district’s need to increase capacity for services in the district, and the ability to sustain the increased capacity. The panel shall review, and approve or deny, each application from an ASO. The bill requires HHS to submit a report to the general assembly for FY 2025-2026, FY 2026-2027, and FY 2027-2028 on or before September 1 containing recommendations from each district behavioral health advisory council for future disbursements from the fund, and the evaluation conducted by HHS for the immediately preceding fiscal year. HHS shall make each report publicly available on HHS’s internet site. The bill appropriates from the fund to HHS $20 million for FY 2025-2026 to be deposited in the account.