Community Access

Can I provide input on spending?

• 50% state share: Yes (not required). Members of the public can attend the State Opioid and Overdose Response Plan (SOORP) learning community meetings and provide input on opioid settlement spending recommendations by contacting the SOORP workgroup leads. Visit the SOORP website to find the dates, times, and attendance information for each SOORP learning community meeting, plus information about past SOORP workgroup meetings. You can find the names and email addresses of lead contacts for each SOORP workgroup on page 39 of the state’s Opioid and Overdose Response Plan,[1] and general questions may be emailed to Kris Shera, Washington’s State Opioid Coordinator, at [e-mail].

• 50% local share: Yes (required). Local governments are required to gather community input on settlement funding priorities as a condition of receiving direct settlement payments.[2] See, e.g., Spokane County (announcing County’s October 2023 public input survey, launched for the public “to share suggestions, ideas and concerns with Spokane County Leadership to support decision making on the use of Opioid Settlement Funding”).[3]

  • Some regional opioid abatement councils have established regular meeting schedules with opportunities to provide public comment.[4] For example, both the Spokane County Opioid Abatement Council and Pierce County Opioid Abatement Council publish meeting schedules on their respective websites and include a dedicated public comment period on each meeting agenda.

  • Some local governments have conducted more extensive community engagement. For example, Public Health Seattle-King County engaged the Research with Expert Advisors on Drug Use team (READU) at the University of Washington to “design a community engagement consultation process to understand the experiences, needs, and goals of the community to identify priorities for the use of [settlement] funding.”[5] This process, which included focus groups and surveys, resulted in a report and recommendations. King County has also indicated that “[a] community board will be formed in late 2024 to provide ongoing input.”[6]

Can I apply for grants?

It depends. As of September 1, 2024, the state has not yet established any grant opportunities for the 50% state 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 state share, visit the Department of Health’s Washington State Opioid Settlements website and refer to the State Opioid and Overdose Response Plan’s website for meeting updates. Sign up to receive email updates and reminders from the state opioid response workgroup here.

• To find updates on the local share, a good starting point is to check the websites for your regional opioid abatement council (see, e.g., the Greater Columbia Region and King County regional OACs), city or county council, or local health department (see, e.g., the settlement-specific webpages of Cowlitz County, King County, and the City of Port Angeles).[7]

What else should I know?

The Substance Use Recovery Services Advisory Committee (SURSAC), a legislatively created body required to include people with lived experience, is responsible for recommending policies to the state legislature and working with the Washington State Health Care Authority to implement the state’s substance use recovery services plan.[8] The SURSAC meets monthly and encourages public comments.[9]

Visit the SURSAC’s website to find the dates, times, and attendance information for upcoming SURSAC meetings and instructions on how to submit public comments during meetings. The website also includes materials and recordings from previous meetings, information about the SURSAC’s Safe Supply Work Group, and an email address to submit written feedback ([e-mail]).

Citations

1. See Washington opioid settlement frequently asked questions (FAQ), Question 13 (“How can I participate in developing the recommendations for how to use the settlement funds?” “Anyone can provide comments to a SOORP workgroup by contacting the workgroup leads listed in the plan. These workgroups provide input on work from a variety of funding sources, including opioid settlement funds”). Washington State Health Care Authority. January 6, 2023. Accessed September 1, 2024. ↑

2. One Washington Memorandum of Understanding Between Washington Municipalities (Municipalities MOU) Sec. C(4)(g)( ii) (“As a condition of receiving a direct payment, each Participating Local Government that receives a direct payment agrees to undertake the following actions: ii. Ensuring there is opportunity for community-based input on priorities for Opioid Fund programs and services”). Accessed September 1, 2024. ↑

3. Public Survey for Opioid Settlement Funds Now Available. Spokane County news release. October 24, 2023 (Archived). Accessed September 1, 2024. ↑

4. Note: Washington’s Open Public Meetings Act requires “the governing body of a public agency” to “provide an opportunity at or before every regular meeting at which final action is taken for public comment.” Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 42.30.240(1). Washington’s opioid settlement-related documents do not clarify whether Regional Opioid Abatement Councils (OACs) constitute such governing bodies, but agreements establishing some Regional OACs require compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. See, e.g., Interlocal Agreement Between Pierce County, Cities of Auburn, Bonney Lake, Edgewood, Fife, Gig Harbor, Lakewood, Puyallup, Sumner, Tacoma, and University Place, Forming PCOAC Sec. 4(A)(3) (“Meetings shall be properly noticed to all Council Members and in compliance with RCW 42.30, the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA)”). Accessed September 1, 2024. ↑

5. Opioid Settlement Stakeholder Feedback – Recommendations for the use of opioid settlement funds allocated to Seattle & King County. The University of Washington School of Nursing, guided by the Research with Expert Advisors on Drug Use (READU). June 2023. Accessed September 1, 2024. ↑

6. See “How is community input being gathered?” King County Opioid Settlement website. Accessed September 1, 2024. ↑

7. As of January 2023, “[w]hile there is not yet an official coordinating body comprised of state and local officials, it is anticipated that state planning efforts will engage in a coordinated way with local and regional Opioid Advisory Councils in the future. Details about engagement and collaboration with local/regional entities are emerging and will be shared when available,” and the Health Care Authority “expect[s] to work with Association of Washington Cities and Washington State Association of Counties in some way.” Washington opioid settlement frequently asked questions (FAQ), Questions 2 and 4. Washington State Health Care Authority. January 6, 2023. Accessed September 1, 2024. ↑

8. Wash. Rev. Code. Ann. Secs. 71.24.546(1), (2)(a), and (6)-(7). See also Engrossed Senate Bill 5476 – Responding to the State v. Blake decision by addressing justice system responses and expansion of behavioral health services. Washington State Health Care Authority. June 10, 2021. Accessed September 1, 2024. The SURSAC may propose ways to expend opioid settlement funds. See, e.g., the group’s plan, which was submitted to the Governor in December 2022, proposes funding some strategies with opioid settlement funds, including capital construction costs for new opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and expanding the reach of existing OTPs. ↑

9. See “How to offer public comment during meetings.” SURSAC website. Accessed September 1, 2024. ↑