Community Access

Can I provide input on spending?

• 70% Opioid Abatement Fund share: Yes (required). The Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council is required to develop policies for receiving input and has included a dedicated public comment period at the end of each of its meetings,[1] typically at the end of each agenda.[2] Visit the Meetings page on the Abatement Council’s website to find upcoming meeting dates, agendas, and information about how to participate. The Abatement Council must meet at least four times per year,[3] although it has consistently met more frequently.[4] The Opioid Abatement Council also invites direct emails at [e-mail].[5]

  • Town halls. The Abatement Council hosted three town hall meetings in 2023 and plans to schedule additional meetings “annually thereafter.”[6] Future town halls will be announced on the Abatement Council’s website and via its mailing list.

• 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.[7]

• 15% 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?

Yes. Visit this website to learn about funding opportunities from the 65% community funding sub-share overseen by the Opioid Abatement Council.[8] 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 Abatement Fund share, visit the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council’s website and sign up for its mailing list. The Council’s Reports and Resources page links to the state’s annual report and a County Funding page that includes information about counties’ annual payments and semiannual reports of their Opioid Abatement Fund uses.

• A single resource containing updates specific to the state share updates could not be found.[9] See the Attorney General’s general Opioid Settlements webpage for general overview information.

• To find updates on the local share, a good starting point is to check the websites for your board of county commissioners, city council, or local health department. See, e.g., the opioid settlement websites maintained by Campbell County, Cocke County, and Madison County.

• 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?

Not applicable.

Citations

1. Prior to making decisions about the disbursement of funds from the Opioid Abatement Fund, the Abatement Council is legally required to “allow for comment and input from community stakeholders, local governments, state and local public health officials, public health advocates, law enforcement and judiciary representatives, opioid remediation service providers, and other parties interested and actively involved in addressing the opioid crisis and its abatement,” and to “develop policies to provide reasonable opportunity to receive input from these parties.” Tenn. Code Ann. Sec. 33-11-105(a). Additionally, the Abatement Council is subject to the state’s open meeting law, which requires each public meeting to include a period for public comment. Tenn. Code Ann. Sec. 33-11-103(j), 8-44-112(a). Under the state open meeting law, a governing body may place “reasonable restrictions on the period for public comment, such as the length of the period, the number of speakers, and the length of time that each speaker will be allowed to provide comment,” and “may require a person to give notice in advance of the desire to offer comments at a meeting.” Tenn. Code Ann. Sec. 8-44-112(b). Meeting notices must include information about how an individual may indicate they wish to provide public comment at the noticed meeting. Tenn. Code Ann. Sec. 8-44-112(c). ↑

2. See, e.g., July 31, 2024 agenda. Opioid Abatement Council. Accessed September 1, 2024. ↑

3. Tenn. Code Ann. Sec. 33-11-103(i). ↑

4. See Meetings. Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council website. Accessed September 1, 2024. ↑

5. Contact Us. Opioid Abatement Council website. Accessed September 1, 2024. ↑

6. Opioid Abatement Council FY2023 Annual Report. September 30, 2023. Accessed September 1, 2024. ↑

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

8. Community Funding. Opioid Abatement Council website. Accessed September 1, 2024. This is 65% of the 70% Opioid Abatement Fund Share, or 45.5% of the state’s total funds. ↑

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