Opioid Settlement
The state of Tennessee has joined a broad coalition of states and local political subdivisions in reaching a nationwide agreement with several pharmacies and corporations. Tennessee will receive over 1 billion dollars in opioid settlement funds over the next 18 years. The Anderson County has been allocated a portion of these funds which will be received in annual payments. The Anderson County Opioid Settlement Committee will oversee allocation of the funds to ensure they are used to remediate the opiate crisis and save lives. The committee invites community organizations to apply for these funds annually.
Applications will be accepted from any organization that serves residents of Anderson County but will only be distributed to those that provide services which fall within the approved remediation uses set forth by the TN Opioid Abatement Council. If an applying organization is located outside of Anderson County, funds will only be awarded to that organization if they are used to serve Anderson County residents.
The Anderson County Opioid Settlement Committee will dispense funds in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations that counties must adhere to when allocating funds to community organizations.
The selection process for funding will utilize a competitive process, and the number of awards will be dependent on the amount of funds available for annual allocation. The amount of funds available, the dates of application submissions and award amount will differ annually. The amount of funds available for the 2024 funding cycle will be $425,1S9.28. Applications will be accepted between January 1, 2025 and January 31, 2025.
The Anderson County Opioid Settlement Committee will review and score all applications received. The committee will consider scores, along with other factors, to make funding decisions. These factors may include county priorities, community needs, funds available, cost- effectiveness, and federal and state regulations. The maximum amount an organization can apply for is $60,000 per project. More than one application may be submitted by organizations.
Applications and information pertaining to the opioid settlement funds is available on the Anderson County website https://andersoncountytn.gov The County Mayor and County Commission will have final approval of any funding recommendations provided by the Opioid Settlement Committee.
Notice of award is expected to occur by March 31, 2025. Following the notice of award, the organizations will be contacted to discuss the contract process and specific metrics that must be reported back to the county. The funding period will be 12 months in duration beginning April 1, 2025 unless an alternative project start date is agreed upon by the awardee and Anderson County Finance Director.
