Community Access

Can I provide input on spending?

• 85% local share: Up to each locality (generally not required). Only the minority of local governments that have opted into Option B’s collaborative, strategic planning process are required to seek public input on uses of their shares.[1] (See Decision-Making for an explanation of this scheme.) Regardless of whether a locality chooses Option A or B, local governments must adopt an authorizing resolution and a budget ordinance to spend from this share,[2] and you can attend hearings of your county board of commissioners and/or city councils. These hearings must be open to the public and provide at least one public comment period per month at their regular meetings.[3] Watch for other opportunities to weigh in on city and county spending decisions, such as city council meetings and town halls (e.g., Durham County's annual community meeting and online survey and Guilford County’s annual stakeholder input sessions).

• 15% state share: No opportunities available (not required). The state has not established recurring opportunities for the public to provide input on uses of its share.[4]

Can I apply for grants?

Yes. The state has offered grants in the past from the 15% state share.[5] 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 local share, visit CORE-NC: Community Opioid Resources Engine for North Carolina[6] — which contains several Data Dashboards, e.g., Opioid Indicators, Community Drivers of Health, NC Payment Schedule, Local Spending Plans, and Past Spending— and be sure to bookmark the Coordination Group page to keep apprised of its meetings.[7] See also individual localities’ opioid settlement-related websites (e.g., Durham County).

• For updates on the state share, visit the State Spending of Opioid Settlement Funds page.

• You can also sign up for updates from Community Education Group’s Appalachian Opioid Remediation (AOR) Database, which tracks information about the 13 states of Appalachia.

What else should I know?

Each county is required to hold at least one annual meeting in which all municipalities within the county are invited so that it may receive input on how to use its opioid settlement funds and encourage collaboration among local governments. These meetings must be open to the public,[8] although there are no requirements to solicit input from the general public.

Citations

1. See Local Spending Plans Dashboard. CORE-NC website. Accessed September 1, 2024 (as of September 1, 2024, reporting that 11 local governments have reported Option B-related planning, as compared to Option A's 79 takers). ↑

2. See New guidance to local governments on how to authorize the expenditure of opioid settlement funds pursuant to the MOA and state law. North Carolina Department of Justice. July 12, 2023. ↑

3. See N.C. Gen. Stat. Sec. 143-318.10(a) (official meetings of public bodies generally must be open to the public), 159-12(b) (providing that prior to adopting a budget ordinance, a local governing board must “hold a public hearing at which time any persons who wish to be heard on the budget may appear”). See also See N.C. Gen. Stat. Secs. 153A-52.1 (county board of commissioners must provide at least one public comment period per month at a regular meeting of the board), 160A-81.1 (city council must provide at least one public comment period per month at a regular meeting of the board). ↑

4. If you see this change, email [e-mail]. ↑

5. See, e.g., State Spending of Opioid Settlement Funds. MorePowerfulNC website. Accessed September 1, 2024 (describing assorted grant opportunities over the past several years). ↑

6. North Carolina Opioid Settlements. CORE-NC website. Accessed September 1, 2024 (“The Community Opioid Resources Engine for North Carolina is a collaborative partnership between the NC Department of Justice, the NC Department of Health and Human Services, the NC Association of County Commissioners, and the UNC Injury Prevention Research Center”). ↑

7. See, e.g., NC MOA Coordination Group. MorePowerfulNC website. Accessed September 1, 2024. ↑

8. Memorandum of Agreement Between the State of North Carolina and Local Governments on Proceeds Relating to the Settlement of Opioid Litigation, Sec. E(4). ↑