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Home My WebLink AboutORD-2026-003-Revised Opioid Settlement Fund Spending Authorization Resolution and Approval of Budget Amendment #6-A ORD-20264103 � g- ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date : January 20 , 2026 Action Agenda Item No . 8 - i SUBJECT : Revised Opioid Settlement Fund Spending Authorization Resolution and Approval of Budget Amendment #6 -A DEPARTMENT : Board of County Commissioners ATTACHMENT( S ) : INFORMATION CONTACT . Quintana Stewart , Orange County MOA Spending Authorization Resolution Health Director, 919 -245-2412 PURPOSE : To approve a resolution for the final opioid settlement fund spending authorization for FY 2026 , and approve Budget Amendment #6 -A . BACKGROUND : In July 2021 , a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general announced the National Opioid Settlement — a historic agreement that will help bring desperately needed help to communities harmed by the opioid epidemic . The State of North Carolina and all 100 counties , including Orange County , joined the agreement . North Carolina is receiving $ 1 , 420 , 932 , 713 in opioid settlement funds from 2022 through 2038 . Orange County is expected to receive $ 12 , 748 , 445 million over an 18-year period . In September 2022 , the BOCC approved the appointment of the Orange County Opioid Advisory Committee with the following charge : • Discuss opioid - related health concerns and issues impacting the residents of Orange County . • Advise the Board of Commissioners on options to expend funds to prevent opioid abuse and remedy opioid impacts . • Plan and host an annual meeting open to the public to receive input on proposed uses of the settlement funds and to encourage collaboration between local governments . The Board also approved Option A for the use of the settlement funds per the NC Memorandum of Agreement Opioid Settlement . County- hosted programs approved for Opioid Settlement Funding for Fiscal Year 2026 (July 1 , 2025 — June 30 , 2026 ) include the following : • Lantern Project : $ 201 , 747 • NC FIT Program : $ 74 , 724 • County Vending Machines : $ 25 , 000 • PORT Team : $ 338 , 350 • Harm Reduction Coordinator : $ 110 , 861 0 CJRD Clinical Coordinator : $ 108 , 191 At the beginning of the fiscal year , the Opioid Settlement team , in consultation with Budget and Finance staff, reviewed the amount of available funds in each approved project along with the status of each projects spending authorization . Upon review , it was determined that multiple projects needed spending authorization dates extended to account for past spending and allow for the use of unspent funds from prior years . The attached spending authorization resolution extends the authorization date for each project until the end of FY 2025 -2026 , allowing each project to use all previously allocated funding until the end of the fiscal year. Additionally , it was determined that the Lantern Project and Harm Reduction Coordinator project needed additional funds to cover personnel costs in FY 2025 -2026 . The amendment below allocates unspent funds from the NC FIT project to account for those additional costs . It also reallocates the difference in costs for the revised Freedom House contract that was approved by the Board at the October 21 , 2025 Business meeting , with the remainder falling to the unallocated project . The formal required resolution providing final opioid settlement fund spending authorization for FY 2026 is attached for Board approval . Budget Amendment #6 -A amends the grant project ordinance as follows : Opioid Settlement Fund ($0) - Fund #27 Revenues for this project : Current FY 2025 -26 FY 2025 -26 FY 2025-26 Amendment Revised Opioid Settlement Funds $4 , 654 , 294 $0 $4 , 654 , 294 Total Project Funding $4 , 654, 294 $ 0 $4,654, 294 Appropriated for this project : Current FY 2025-26 FY 2025 -26 FY 2025-26 Amendment Revised Lantern Project $ 5391714 $24 , 345 $ 564 , 059 Freedom House $ 322 , 485 ( $ 51577 ) $ 3161908 NC FIT $218 , 224 ( $491629 ) $ 168 , 595 County Vending Machines $ 931000 $ 0 $ 931000 SHAC Syringe Exchange Program $ 101 , 800 $ 0 $ 101 , 800 Reintegration Support Network $40 , 000 $0 $40 , 000 Post-Overdose Response Team $ 5821370 $ 0 $ 582 , 370 Grow Your World $201000 $ 0 $20 , 000 Harm Reduction Coordinator $218 , 886 $ 11 , 918 $230 , 804 CJRD Clinical Coordinator $ 1081191 $0 $ 1081191 Piedmont Health $ 501400 $0 $ 501400 El Futuro $ 50 , 000 $0 $ 50 , 000 Transition Support and Recovery $201000 $0 $20 , 000 Unallocated $2 , 289 , 224 $ 181943 $21308 , 167 Total Costs $4 ,6541294 $0 $4 , 654, 294 FINANCIAL IMPACT : Distribution of opioid settlement funds may support programs and services that serve persons with Opioid Use Disorder or any co -occurring Substance Use Disorder (SUD ) or mental health condition in Orange County . Budget Amendment #6 -A reallocates funds within the awards to amend these project budgets . ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLAN : This item supports : • GOAL 2 : HEALTHY COMMUNITY OBJECTIVE 1 . Improve harm reduction , prevention , and support services for adults and children experiencing behavioral health issues , substance use disorder , and intellectual or developmental disability . RECOMMENDATION ( S ) : The Manager recommends that the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign the spending authorization resolution , and approve Budget Amendment #6 -A .