Community Access

Can I provide input on spending?

The Massachusetts Abatement Terms express the Commonwealth’s and its municipalities’ general commitment to using settlement funds in a way that “reflects the input of [their] communities” and of “people who have personal experience with the opioid crisis.”[1]

• 60% Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund share: No opportunities available (not required). The Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund Advisory Council (Council), which must meet at least quarterly, is subject to the state’s Open Meeting Law.[2] However, this state law does not require the Council to allow public comment during its meetings.[3] Minutes from past Council meetings do not show dedicated space for public input, although anyone can submit general comments or questions to the Council via email: [e-mail].

• 40% municipal share: Up to each municipality (not required). Though municipalities are not required to seek public input on uses of its share, those receiving more than $35,000 in settlement funds in a given year are required to report their “efforts to solicit community input regarding how abatement funds should be spent from local stakeholders,” including people with lived experience.[4] Examples of municipalities’ input opportunities:

  • “Between May 30, 2023 and October 13, 2023, the Boston Public Health Commission Office of Recovery Services gathered feedback from Boston residents through community and provider listening sessions, surveys released in multiple languages, and a longform Request for Information.”[5] Themes from data collected from this outreach are summarized here.

  • Several other localities have launched online surveys to collect public feedback on opioid settlement-related spend (e.g., Foxborough, Greenfield, Hampshire, Holbrook, West Springfield, and Salem).

Can I apply for grants?

Yes. Massachusetts has established specific settlement-funded grant opportunities for community organizations. Visit RIZE Massachusetts’ “Apply for a Grant” page to view current funding opportunities. Local governments also may create grant programs to distribute their share of funds. The existence, parameters, and processes for local settlement grant programs will vary by locality, so stay alert for new opportunities. Visit the Opioid Settlement Community Grants Portals (OpioidSettlementTracker.com and Legal Action Center) for the most up-to-date information on settlement grant opportunities for community organizations.

Where do I go for updates?

• For updates on the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund share, visit the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund Advisory Council’s website, which includes details on upcoming meetings.

• To find updates on the local share, a good starting point is to check the websites for your municipality’s governing body, local board of health, or local health department (e.g., Boston, Falmouth, Fall River, Framingham, and Holbrook).

What else should I know?

Not applicable.

Citations

1. Massachusetts Abatement Terms, Sec. I. ↑

2. Mass. Ann. Laws ch. 10, Sec. 35OOO(b) ("The council shall hold no fewer than 4 meetings annually and the council shall make its recommendations upon a majority vote. The council shall be subject to sections 18 to 25, inclusive, of chapter 30A”); Mass. Ann. Laws ch. 30A, Sec. 20(a) (“Except as provided in section 21, all meetings of a public body shall be open to the public”). ↑

3. To learn more about the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law, review this FAQ. ↑

4. Guidance for Municipalities Utilizing Opioid Settlement Abatement Payments (“Reporting Requirements for Municipalities”). Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Substance Addiction Services website. Accessed September 1, 2024 (“Starting in August 2023, all participating municipalities will be asked to submit an annual report on their FY23 Opioid Abatement Fund planning process, strategies selected, and expenditures. Those municipalities that received $35,000.00 or more in FY23 are required to submit a report. The reporting form covers: Efforts to solicit community input regarding how abatement funds should be spent from local stakeholders including people with lived experience of the opioid epidemic”). See also Municipal Opioid Abatement Funds Data Dashboard. Care Massachusetts: The Opioid Abatement Partnership website. Accessed September 1, 2024 (see, e.g., “Overview of Report Questions”: “Strategy Implementation Overview: Community Collaboration. This section asked municipalities to describe how they collaborated internally within their communities or externally across their regions”). ↑

5. Boston Opioid Settlements Community Engagement Report. Boston Public Health Commission. January 2024. ↑