Title
Resolution to Amend the City Council Approved Fiscal Year 2025 Budget to Accept and Appropriate a Grant Award from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority for the Hampton City Jail Substance Use Jail-Based Medication Assisted Treatment Services Project
Purpose
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
There have been multiple national settlements where opioid manufacturers and distributors have agreed to pay funds to state and local governments which are meant to help those governments abate and remediate the opioid epidemic. In Virginia, each county and city signed a memorandum of understanding with Virginia's Office of the Attorney General, which established an allocation plan for opioid settlements within the Commonwealth. In accordance with this plan opioid settlement funds will be disbursed with 15% is going directly to the Commonwealth; 30% going directly to cities and counties based on a per capita within the county or city; and the remaining 55% being deposited into the Opioid Abatement Fund, to be administered by the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority ("OAA"), much of which will be distributed to localities through a grant application process.
In addition, OAA offers an optional "Gold Standard" Incentive program that provides a 25% increase to a locality's Individual Distribution allocation provided the locality agrees to apply the "Gold Standard" to in the usage of 100% of the direct funds it receives. The City of Hampton has opted to participate in this program.
Discussion:
The OAA operates a program through which it awards and pays Individual Distribution and "Gold Standard" Incentive grants to individual localities to fund efforts to treat, prevent, and reduce opioid use disorder and the misuse of opioids. Through those programs, the City of Hampton applied for and received an award of $156,347.00 to fund the Hampton City Jail ("HCJ") Substance use Jail based Medical Assisted Treatment ("MAT") Services project. This project is an extension of the partnership between the Hampton City Jail and the Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board which will facilitate the addition of qualified staff who will be responsible for screening substance use to all inmates upon entry to HCJ. This will provide an opportunity to address substance use disorder and other mental health needs while individuals are incarcerated and to link them to re-entry services through existing relationships.
Impact:
This grant award will further the City of Hampton's efforts to abate and remediate the opioid epidemic
Recommendation:
Rec
Include this matter in the Budget Public Hearing scheduled for the September 11, 2024 City Council.
Approve the Resolution.
Body
WHEREAS, the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority ("OAA") is charged with the custody and administration of 55% of opioid abatement funds received by the Commonwealth from multiple national settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors;
WHEREAS, OAA operates a program through which it awards and pays Individual Distribution and "Gold Standard" Incentive grants to individual localities to fund efforts to treat, prevent, and reduce opioid use disorder and the misuse of opioids;
WHEREAS, through that program, the City of Hampton applied for and received an award of $156,347.00 to fund the Hampton City Jail ("HCJ") Substance Use Jail Based Medical Assisted Treatment ("MAT") Services project (the "Project").
WHEREAS, the Project is an extension of the partnership between the Hampton City Jail and the Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board which will facilitate the addition of qualified staff who will be responsible for screening substance use to all inmates upon entry to HCJ. This will provide an opportunity to address substance use disorder and other mental health needs while individuals are incarcerated and to link them to re-entry services through existing relationships;
WHEREAS, OAA is fully funding this grant award and the City of Hampton has no obligation to provide any matching funds.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Hampton hereby approves the City of Hampton's participation in the grant award described above and in furtherance of that grant:
1. Amends the Approved Fiscal Year 2025 Budget to Appropriate to the Grants Fund $156,347.00 to be received from the Virginia Opioid Authority to Fund the City's Hampton City Jail Substance Use Jail Based MAT Services initiative; and
2. Authorizes the City Manager or her designee to take all actions necessary to implement the purposes of this resolution, including, but not limited to, executing any and all grant agreements and other documents, subject approval of the City Attorney.