Community Access

Can I provide input on spending?

• 60% Opioid Addiction Treatment and Recovery Fund share: Depends on future programming (not required). The state has not established recurring opportunities for the public to provide input on uses of its 60% share.[1] However, the Missouri Department of Mental Health and the Department of Health and Senior Services have previously sought “local-level feedback to guide state-level overdose prevention and response efforts” via regional listening sessions and input surveys in Kansas City, St. Louis, and Poplar Bluff.[2],[3]

• 40% local share: Up to each locality (not required). Local governments are not required to seek public input on uses of their shares. However, each may choose to seek such input. Watch for opportunities to weigh in on city and county spending decisions, such as city council meetings and town halls.

Can I apply for grants?

It depends. As of September 1, 2024, the state has not established any grant opportunities for the Opioid Addiction Treatment and Recovery Fund share. Local governments 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 Portal (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 Addiction Treatment and Recovery Fund share and the local share, visit the Missouri Department of Mental Health’s Opioid Settlement Reporting website.[4]

• To find more updates on the local share, a good starting point is to check the websites for your county executive, city council, or local health department.

What else should I know?

The Missouri Department of Mental Health’s Opioid Settlement Reporting website notes that “opioid settlement fund reporting questions” may be emailed to [e-mail].

Citations

1. If you see this change, email [e-mail]. There is no legal requirement for decision-makers to seek public input on uses of this share. ↑

2. See, e.g., Missouri Overdose Response Survey. Missouri Department of Mental Health and Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Accessed September 1, 2024 (survey is no longer active). ↑

3. Based on August 2024 email exchange among the Missouri Department of Mental Health, Vital Strategies, and OpioidSettlementTracker.com, there are ongoing opportunities for stakeholders to participate in discussions and workgroups for the Overdose Prevention Strategic Plan. ↑

4. Missouri Opioid Settlements Reporting Website. Missouri Department of Mental Health. Accessed September 1, 2024 (“The coordinated reporting is a long-term project. … As long as the State of Missouri and its local governments are receiving payments, the Department of Mental Health will continue to coordinate reporting through this website”). ↑