Navigating the Complexities of Opioid Settlement Funds: Empowering State and Local Government
Following historic lawsuits against opioid manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies for their role in fueling the crisis, states, counties and municipalities have begun receiving settlement funds—also referred to as abatement funds—to address the harms caused by opioids.
For over 35 years, Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. (AHP) has been improving health and human services systems of care to help organizations and individuals reach their full potential. Let us help you address the opioid crisis through research and evaluation, strategic planning, training and technical assistance, administrative solutions, workforce development, and more.
While these funds present an extraordinary opportunity, state and local governments may face challenges engaging their communities, collecting data, designing and implementing strategies, and evaluating the effectiveness of funded interventions.
Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. (AHP) has multidisciplinary teams that include subject-matter experts with a broad range of public and behavioral health specialties who work together with local partners and those with lived experience to support the best possible outcomes for the individuals and families affected by the opioid crisis.
Expert Solutions
AHP uses evidence-based, community informed solutions to make the most of opioid settlement funds including:
- Community and stakeholder engagement through interviews, focus groups and public forums, prioritizing those with lived and living experience
- Surveillance and analysis to identify realtime gaps and target high-value, high impact opportunities for funding
- Strategic planning to equip local governments with clear, actionable roadmaps that strengthen infrastructure, guide implementation and ensure sustainable, data-informed decision making
- Fund Management and disbursement through the development of notices of funding opportunities, grant administration, grantee technical assistance, and public dashboards
- Success tracking and evaluation to assess investments and inform future response efforts with transparent metrics and public sharing to drive learning and trust
We Support Community-Defined, Sustainable Outcomes
AHP has been involved in opioid abatement efforts since the first settlement award was announced. We have partnered with changemakers across the country, at both the state and local level, to support assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation and administration of settlement funding.
Our work is grounded in collaboration with communities most affected by the opioid crisis. You know your community best. By partnering with you, local experts and leaders, we gain an inside perspective and a deeper understanding of the unique challenges you face. Our role is to help elevate that local knowledge bringing it into focus through data and lived experience. By translating these perspectives into actionable strategies, we tailor our approach to meet you where you are and support a response rooted in local strengths and long-term impact.
Illinois Regional Care Coordination Agency (RCCA)
AHP serves as the RCCA, responsible for equitably administering the State of Illinois’ opioid settlement funding. In this role, AHP provides program management and administration services, regulatory compliance, and subaward administration. AHP developed the state’s opioid funding dashboard, issues notices of funding opportunity (NOFAs) for strategies approved by the state’s Opioid Remediation Advisory Board, evaluates and scores the NOFAs, and allocates funding. AHP also established, convenes, and facilitates seven regional opioid advisory coalitions across Illinois to coordinate services aligned with Illinois’ Overdose Action Plan and Opioid Allocation Agreement.
Massachusetts, Opioid Settlement Fund Assessments and Strategic Planning
AHP has worked in nearly a dozen municipalities across Massachusetts to provide opioid settlement fund needs assessment and strategic planning services. This work includes in-depth, mixed-methods needs assessments and data analysis followed by collaborative strategic planning with local officials and advisory committees to review, refine, and launch comprehensive community strategies.
The Need is Now!
Navigating the complexities of opioid settlement funds can be overwhelming and time-consuming, but you don’t have to do it alone. We recognize that municipalities are at a critical juncture—balancing the urgency to get settlement funds out into the community while ensuring that a data-informed and thoughtful process guides this resource allocation. Whether you’re working with a small local budget or managing a large-scale county or state-wide initiative, we are equipped to support efforts of all sizes and scopes.
Reach out to our dedicated team members today to learn how we can help you maximize these funds and make a meaningful impact in your community.
AHP has supported opioid settlement fund initiatives nationwide, bringing deep knowledge of abatement strategies, approved funding uses, and policy interpretation to ensure compliance with state-local allocation agreements.
About Us
Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. (AHP) creates powerful solutions to improve health and human services systems. By partnering with the federal government, states, municipalities, healthcare systems, and nonprofits, we help people experiencing the greatest disadvantages lead full and productive lives. We are national leaders in training and technical assistance, research and evaluation, publishing, and dedicated consulting. On issues from workforce development to mental health, substance use disorders to housing and homelessness, we help our clients enhance behavioral health care through systems change. AHP was founded nearly 40 years ago to develop solutions for some of the biggest social infrastructure challenges across the nation. Our company has offices in metro Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Tampa. Find out more at www.ahpnet.com.
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