INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT GOVERNING USE OF PINELLAS COUNTY REGIONAL OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDSINTERLOCAL AGREEMENT GOVERNING USE OF PINELLAS COUNTY
REGIONAL OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS
THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT ("Agreement") is made and entered into as of this
day of , 2021, by and between Pinellas County, a political subdivision of
the State of Florida, hereinafter referred to as the "County," and the City of St. Petersburg, the City
of Pinellas Park, and the City of Clearwater, hereinafter referred to as the "Cities."
WHEREAS, a local, state and national crisis arose as a result of the manufacture,
distribution and over -prescribing of opioid analgesics ("opioids") and resulted in opioid overdoses
and addictions throughout municipalities, counties, states and the nation; and
WHEREAS, Pinellas County and the municipalities therein are not immune from this
nationwide crisis; and
WHEREAS, in June 2017, a collaborative body known as the Pinellas County Opioid Task
Force, hereinafter "Opioid Task Force", was created in response to the alarming increase in opioid -
related drug misuse and opioid -related deaths within the geographic boundaries of Pinellas
County; and
WHEREAS, in January 2018, the Opioid Task Force implemented a comprehensive
strategic plan that efficiently guides community members and resources in order to confront the
crises caused by the opioid epidemic; and
WHEREAS, the Opioid Task Force meets quarterly to study and analyze data related to
the opioid epidemic and abatement programming; and
WHEREAS, the crisis has caused and is causing an undue strain on local government
finances to implement programing to combat the opioid epidemic, to mitigate the harmful effects
of the opioid epidemic in the community, and to increase educational campaigns to counteract mis-
information about the addictive nature and harmful effects of opioids; and
WHEREAS, the opioid crisis is as pronounced within Pinellas County and within certain
municipalities within Pinellas County as it was throughout most of the harder hit areas in the state
of Florida and in the United States and despite the resources expended on combatting the epidemic,
the opioid epidemic continues to impact the local community; and
WHEREAS, as a result of the national opioid crisis, many governmental entities
throughout the country filed lawsuits against opioid manufacturers, distributors, and retailers,
hereinafter referred to as the "defendants", to hold them accountable for the damage caused by
their misfeasance, nonfeasance and malfeasance, as well as to recover monetary damages for
past harm and financial compensation for ongoing and future abatement efforts; and
WHEREAS, four governmental entities in Pinellas County deemed the opioid crisis
significant enough to secure litigation counsel and individually elect to file suit against the
defendants to wit: the City of St. Petersburg, the City of Clearwater, the City of Pinellas Park
(hereinafter referred to as the "MDL Cities") and the County; and
WHEREAS, the lawsuits filed by the MDL Cities and the County were consolidated with
other lawsuits filed by state, tribal and local governmental entities into what is known as the
National Prescription Opiate Litigation in the United States District Court of the Northern District
of Ohio, Eastern Division, case number 1:17-MD-2804; and
WHEREAS, as a result of this litigation, multiple defendants have begun to negotiate
settlements; and
WHEREAS, the Attorney General for the State of Florida (hereinafter "Attorney General")
anticipates that Settlement funds will be distributed to the State of Florida over multiple years as
part of a global settlement, and not directly to the MDL Cities and County, despite their position
as party plaintiffs; and
WHEREAS, the Attorney General has proposed entering into agreements with local
governments within the State of Florida to receive Settlement funds. This agreement (hereinafter
referred to as the "State MOU"), as currently drafted, divides settlement funds into three portions
designated as City/County, Regional and State funds; and
WHEREAS, it is anticipated that the State MOU will set forth the amount and manner of
distribution of City/County and Regional Settlement funds within Florida, the requirements to
receive and manage Regional funds, and the purposes for which Regional funds may be used. The
current draft of the State MOU is attached hereto as Exhibit A; and
WHEREAS, the parties recognize that local control over Settlement funds is in the best
interest of all persons within the geographic boundaries of Pinellas County and ensures that
Settlement funds are available and used to address opioid -related impacts within Pinellas County
and are, therefore, committed to the County qualifying as a "Qualified County" and thereby
receiving Regional funds pursuant to the State MOU; and
WHEREAS, the State MOU requires that in order for Pinellas County to become a
Qualified County eligible to receive Regional Funding, there must be an interlocal agreement
among Pinellas County and Municipalities, as defined in the MOU, with combined population
exceeding 50% of the total population of the Municipalities within Pinellas County, with the term
"Municipalities" being defined for the purpose in this Agreement as those municipalities with a
population of 10,000 or more as required by the State MOU; or with population less than 10,000
who were party plaintiffs; population for purposes of the MOU is determined by specific Census
data; and
WHEREAS, historically, government -funded programming geared toward abating the
opioid crisis has been data driven based upon community impacts without regard to governmental
jurisdictional boundaries; and
WHEREAS, the parties recognize that it is in the best interest of the County and the Cities
to enter into this interlocal agreement to ensure Pinellas County is a "Qualified County" to receive
Regional Funding pursuant to the State MOU.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants herein contained, and other good
and valuable consideration, the parties agree as follows:
Section 1. DEFINITIONS
A. Unless otherwise defined herein, all defined terms in the State MOU are incorporated
herein and shall have the same meanings as in the State MOU.
B. "Pinellas County Regional Funding" shall mean the amount of the Regional Funding
paid to Pinellas County in its role as a Qualified County.
Section 2. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
This Agreement shall become effective on the Commencement Date set forth in Section 4,
so long as the following conditions precedent have been satisfied:
A. Execution of this Agreement by the County and the governing bodies of the
municipalities as required by the State MOU to enable Pinellas County to become a
Qualified County and directly receive Pinellas County Regional Funding; and
B. Execution of all documents necessary to effectuate the State MOU in its final form;
and
C. Pinellas County being determined by the State of Florida to qualify as a "Qualified
County" to receive Regional Funding under the State MOU; and
D. Filing of this Agreement with the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Pinellas County as
required by Florida Statutes, Section 163.01.
Section 3. EXECUTION
This Agreement may be signed in counterparts by the parties hereto.
Section 4. TERM
The term of this Agreement and the obligations hereunder commences upon the satisfaction
of all conditions precedent, runs concurrently with the State MOU, and will continue until one (1)
year after the expenditure of all Pinellas County Regional Funding, unless otherwise terminated in
accordance with the provisions of the State MOU. Obligations under this Agreement which by
their nature should survive, including, but not limited to any and all obligations relating to record
retention, audit, and indemnification will remain in effect after termination or expiration of this
Agreement.
Section 5. BOARD
A. Pinellas County Regional Funding will be used in accordance with the requirements of
the State MOU, and guidelines set forth by a board established by resolution of the
Board of County Commissioners (hereinafter referred to as the "Opioid Abatement
Funding Advisory Board"), which will include utilizing the Opioid Taskforce data and
projections.
i. Opioid Abatement Funding Advisory Board membership shall be
comprised of the following members appointed for two-year terms:
1. One member appointed by the City of St. Petersburg;
2. One member appointed by the City of Pinellas Park;
3. One member appointed by the City of Clearwater;
4. One member nominated by the County Administrator and
appointed by the Board of County Commissioners;
5. The Director of the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas
County or designee or someone with subject matter expertise in
public health or addiction, who is not and is not employed by a
provider of opioid -related services in Pinellas County, and
appointed by the four other members of the Opioid Abatement
Funding Advisory Board if the Department of Health declines to
participate.
B. The Opioid Abatement Funding Advisory Board shall meet regularly and as often as
needed to effectuate its responsibilities, but no less than quarterly and on a schedule
which allows the Opioid Task Force to provide the data compiled for and arising out
of its quarterly meeting to the Opioid Abatement Funding Advisory Board for review
and consideration.
C. The Opioid Abatement Funding Advisory Board shall establish bylaws and an annual
process which must include the following:
a. A date certain each year by which the Opioid Abatement Funding Advisory
Board must meet and review the data available from previous years, tending to
evidence the local status of the opioid epidemic and the effect of abatement
programming.
b. The Opioid Abatement Funding Advisory Board must review the programs and
services of the beneficiaries of Pinellas County Regional Funds to determine
the outcome of such programs and services in order to hold beneficiaries
accountable.
c. The Opioid Abatement Funding Advisory Board must annually determine
funding, programs, services, and location priorities for the upcoming year(s)
("Opioid Abatement Funding Advisory Board Priority List").
D. The County will perform competitive solicitations for programming and services based
on the Opioid Abatement Funding Advisory Board Priority List in accordance with a
centralized, county-wide competitive grant process similar to that which is attached as
Exhibit B, and the Pinellas Litigating Governments will be provided the opportunity to
participate in the review process.
E. Pinellas County Regional Funding may be used to enhance current programs or develop
new programs. Regional funding is not intended to supplant current funding sources
and general funds, and County staff will continue to seek funding for opioid related
abatement at the levels opioid abatement programs were funded as of the effective date
of this agreement.
F. Final Review recommendations will be approved by the Opioid Abatement Funding
Advisory Board, who shall present recommendations to the BCC for approval. The
BCC shall accept/approve Opioid Abatement Funding Advisory Board
recommendations unless the BCC rejects such recommendations by a vote of at least
five (5) of the seven (7) commissioners.
G. The Opioid Abatement Funding Advisory Board and the BCC shall use its best efforts
to fund services and programs that are available to all residents of Pinellas County and
shall strive to allocate funding and services in a manner that equally benefits all
residents of Pinellas County.
Section 6. ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS
The County is responsible for administering the "Regional Funds" remitted pursuant to the
State MOU and, therefore County staff will support the Opioid Abatement Funding Advisory
Board and shall provide all support services including but not limited to legal services, as well as
contract management, program monitoring, and reporting required by the State MOU and is
entitled to the maximum allowable administrative fee pursuant to the State MOU. The
administrative fee will be deducted annually from the amount of available Pinellas County
Regional Funds, and the remaining Pinellas County Regional Funds will be spent as provided in
the State MOU and as provided herein.
Section 7. LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
To the extent that local governmental entity receives Pinellas County Regional Funds
directly from the County, any local governmental entity so receiving funds must spend such funds
for Approved Purposes and must timely satisfy all reporting requirements of the MOU. Failure to
comply with this provision may disqualify the local governmental entity from further direct receipt
of Pinellas County Regional Funds.
Section 8. NON -APPROPRIATION
This Agreement is not a general obligation of the County. It is understood that neither this
Agreement nor any representation by any County official, officer or employee creates any
obligation to appropriate or make monies available for the purposes of the Agreement beyond the
fiscal year in which this Agreement is executed. The obligations of the County as to funding
required pursuant to the Agreement are limited to an obligation in any given fiscal year to budget
and appropriate from Pinellas County Regional Funds annually which are designated for regional
use pursuant to the terms of the State MOU. No liability shall be incurred by the County beyond
the monies budgeted and available for the purpose of the Agreement. If funds are not received by
the County for any or all of this Agreement for a new fiscal period, the County is not obligated to
pay or spend any sums contemplated by this Agreement beyond the portions for which funds were
received and appropriated. The County agrees to promptly notify the Cities in writing of any
subsequent non-appropriation, and upon such notice, this Agreement will terminate on the last day
of the current fiscal year without penalty to the County and all undistributed funds will be spent
for programs previously proposed by the Opioid Abatement Funding Advisory Board and adopted
by the BCC.
Section 9. INDEMNIFICATION
Each City and the County shall be responsible for their respective employees' acts of
negligence when such employees are acting within the scope of their employment and shall only
be liable for any damages resulting from said negligence to the extent permitted by Section 768.28,
Florida Statues. Nothing herein shall be construed as a waiver of sovereign immunity, or the
provisions of F. S. § 768.28, by either Party. Nothing herein shall be construed as consent by either
Party to be sued by third parties for any matter arising out of this Agreement.
Section 10. SEVERABILITY
If any provision of this Agreement is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other
provisions of the Agreement which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application,
and to this end, the provisions of this Agreement are severable.
Section 11. AMENDMENTS TO AGREEMENT
This Agreement may be amended, in writing, upon the express written approval of the
governing bodies of all the parties.
Section 12. FILING OF AGREEMENT
This Agreement shall be filed with the Clerk of the Circuit court as provided in Section
163.01(11), Florida Statutes.
Section 13. GOVERNING LAW
The laws of the State of Florida shall govern this Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties to this Agreement have caused their names to be
affixed hereto by the proper officers thereof, as of the day and year first above written.
[SIGNATURE PAGES TO FOLLOW]
Countersigned:
Frank Hibbard
Mayor
Ap ove as to rm:
amel
P . Akin
City Attorney
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
CITY OF CLEARWATER, FLORIDA
By:1•0.c.Nce B . 424-w."-g--zgr-
William B. Horne, II
City Manager
Attest:
iit-6.A-L VtGa LL
Rosemarie Call
City Clerk
CITY OF PINELLAS PARK, FLORIDA
By:
MAYOR
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
BY:
City Attorney
ATTEST:
CITY OF ST. PETERSBURG
Clerk of City Council By:
Approved as to form and substance:
City Attorney
PINELLAS COUNTY, a political subdivision
of the State of Florida
By:
Barry A. Burton, County Administrator
Date:
PCAO 339046
Exhibit A
PROPOSAL
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
Whereas, the people of the State of Florida and its communities have been harmed by
misfeasance, nonfeasance and malfeasance committed by certain entities within the
Pharmaceutical Supply Chain;
Whereas, the State of Florida, through its Attorney General, and certain Local
Governments, through their elected representatives and counsel, are separately engaged in
litigation seeking to hold Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participants accountable for the damage
caused by their misfeasance, nonfeasance and malfeasance;
Whereas, the State of Florida and its Local Governments share a common desire to abate
and alleviate the impacts of that misfeasance, nonfeasance and malfeasance throughout the State
of Florida;
Whereas, it is the intent of the State of Florida and its Local Governments to use the
proceeds from Settlements with Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participants to increase the
amount of funding presently spent on opioid and substance abuse education, treatment and other
related programs and services, such as those identified in Exhibits A and B, and to ensure that
the funds are expended in compliance with evolving evidence -based "best practices";
Whereas, the State of Florida and its Local Governments, subject to the completion of
formal documents that will effectuate the Parties' agreements, enter into this Memorandum of
Understanding ("MOU") relating to the allocation and use of the proceeds of Settlements
described herein; and
Whereas, this MOU is a preliminary non-binding agreement between the Parties, is not
legally enforceable, and only provides a basis to draft formal documents which will effectuate
the Parties' agreements.
A. Definitions
As used in this MOU:
1. "Approved Purpose(s)" shall mean forward-looking strategies, programming and
services used to expand the availability of treatment for individuals impacted by substance use
disorders, to: (a) develop, promote, and provide evidence -based substance use prevention
strategies; (b) provide substance use avoidance and awareness education; (c) decrease the
oversupply of licit and illicit opioids; and (d) support recovery from addiction. Approved
Purposes shall include, but are not limited to, the opioid abatement strategies listed on Exhibits A
and B which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. "Local Governments" shall mean all counties, cities, towns and villages located
within the geographic boundaries of the State.
3. "Managing Entities" shall mean the corporations selected by and under contract
with the Florida Department of Children and Families or its successor ("DCF") to manage the
000003/01288125_1
daily operational delivery of behavioral health services through a coordinated system of care.
The singular "Managing Entity" shall refer to a singular of the Managing Entities.
4. "County" shall mean a political subdivision of the state established pursuant to s.
1, Art. VIII of the State Constitution.
5. "Municipalities" shall mean cities, towns, or villages of a County within the State
with a Population greater than 10,000 individuals and shall also include cities, towns or villages
within the State with a Population equal to or less than 10,000 individuals which filed a
Complaint in this litigation against Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participants. The singular
"Municipality" shall refer to a singular of the Municipalities.
6. "Negotiating Committee" shall mean a three-member group comprised by
representatives of the following: (1) the State; and (2) two representatives of Local Governments
of which one representative will be from a Municipality and one shall be from a County
(collectively, "Members") within the State. The State shall be represented by the Attorney
General or her designee.
7. "Negotiation Class Metrics" shall mean those county and city settlement
allocations which come from the official website of the Negotiation Class of counties and cities
certified on September 11, 2019 by the U.S. District for the Northern District of Ohio in In re
National Prescription Opiate Litigation, MDL No. 2804 (N.D. Ohio). The website is located at
https ://allocationmap.iclaimsonline.com.
8. "Opioid Funds" shall mean monetary amounts obtained through a Settlement as
defined in this MOU.
9. "Opioid Related" shall have the same meaning and breadth as in the agreed
Opioid Abatement Strategies attached hereto as Exhibits A or B.
10. "Parties" shall mean the State and Local Governments. The singular word
"Party" shall mean either the State or Local Governments.
11. "PEC" shall mean the Plaintiffs' Executive Committee of the National
Prescription Opiate Multidistrict Litigation pending in the United States District Court for the
Northern District of Ohio.
12. "Pharmaceutical Supply Chain" shall mean the process and channels through
which Controlled Substances are manufactured, marketed, promoted, distributed or dispensed.
13. "Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participant" shall mean any entity that engages in,
or has engaged in the manufacture, marketing, promotion, distribution or dispensing of an opioid
analgesic.
14. "Population" shall refer to published U.S. Census Bureau population estimates as
of July 1, 2019, released March 2020, and shall remain unchanged during the term of this MOU.
These estimates can currently be found at https://www.census.gov
15. "Qualified County" shall mean a charter or non -chartered county within the State
that: has a Population of at least 300,000 individuals and (a) has an opioid taskforce of which it
is a member or operates in connection with its municipalities or others on a local or regional
basis; (b) has an abatement plan that has been either adopted or is being utilized to respond to the
opioid epidemic; (c) is currently either providing or is contracting with others to provide
substance abuse prevention, recovery, and treatment services to its citizens; and (d) has or enters
into an agreement with a majority of Municipalities (Majority is more than 50% of the
Municipalities' total population) related to the expenditure of Opioid Funds. The Opioid Funds
to be paid to a Qualified County will only include Opioid Funds for Municipalities whose claims
are released by the Municipality or Opioid Funds for Municipalities whose claims are otherwise
barred.
16. "SAMHSA" shall mean the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services,
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
17. "Settlement" shall mean the negotiated resolution of legal or equitable claims
against a Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participant when that resolution has been jointly entered
into by the State and Local Governments or a settlement class as described in (B)(1) below.
18. "State" shall mean the State of Florida.
B. Terms
1. Only Abatement - Other than funds used for the Administrative Costs and Expense
Fund as hereinafter described in paragraph 6 and paragraph 9, respectively), all Opioid Funds shall
be utilized for Approved Purposes. To accomplish this purpose, the State will either file a new
action with Local Governments as Parties or add Local Governments to its existing action, sever
settling defendants, and seek entry of a consent order or other order binding both the State, Local
Governments, and Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participant(s) ("Order"). The Order may be part
of a class action settlement or similar device. The Order shall provide for continuing jurisdiction
of a state court to address non-performance by any party under the Order. Any Local Government
that objects to or refuses to be included under the Order or entry of documents necessary to
effectuate a Settlement shall not be entitled to any Opioid Funds and its portion of Opioid Funds
shall be distributed to, and for the benefit of, the other Local Governments.
2. Avoid Claw Back and Recoupment - Both the State and Local Governments
wish to maximize any Settlement and Opioid Funds. In addition to committing to only using
funds for the Expense Funds, Administrative Costs and Approved Purposes, both Parties will
agree to utilize a percentage of funds for the core strategies highlighted in Exhibit A. Exhibit A
contains the programs and strategies prioritized by the U.S. Department of Justice and/or the
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services ("Core Strategies"). The State is trying to obtain
the United States' agreement to limit or reduce the United States' ability to recover or recoup
monies from the State and Local Government in exchange for prioritization of funds to certain
projects. If no agreement is reached with the United States, then there will be no requirement
that a percentage be utilized for Core Strategies.
3. Distribution Scheme - All Opioid Funds will initially go to the State, and then be
distributed according to the following distribution scheme. The Opioid Funds will be divided
into three funds after deducting costs of the Expense Fund detailed in paragraph 9 below:
(a) City/County Fund- The city/county fund will receive 15% of all Opioid Funds to
directly benefit all Counties and Municipalities. The amounts to be distributed to
each County and Municipality shall be determined by the Negotiation Class
Metrics or other metrics agreed upon, in writing, by a County and a Municipality.
For Local Governments that are not within the definition of County or
Municipality, those Local Governments may receive that government's share of
the City/County Fund under the Negotiation Class Metrics, if that government
executes a release as part of a Settlement. Any Local Government that is not
within the definition of County or Municipality and that does not execute a
release as part of a Settlement shall have its share of the City/County Fund go to
the County in which it is located.
(b) Regional Fund- The regional fund will be subdivided into two parts.
(i) The State will annually calculate the share of each County within the
State of the regional fund utilizing the sliding scale in section 4 of the
allocation contained in the Negotiation Class Metrics or other metrics
that the Parties agree upon.
(ii) For Qualified Counties, the Qualified County's share will be paid to the
Qualified County and expended on Approved Purposes, including the
Core Strategies identified in Exhibit A, if applicable.
(iii) For all other Counties, the regional share for each County will be paid to
the Managing Entities providing service for that County. The
Managing Entities will be required to expend the monies on Approved
Purposes, including the Core Strategies. The Managing Entities shall
endeavor to the greatest extent possible to expend these monies on
counties within the State that are non -Qualified Counties and to ensure
that there are services in every County.
(c) State Fund - The remainder of Opioid Funds after deducting the costs of the
Expense Fund detailed in paragraph 9, the City/County Fund and the Regional
Fund will be expended by the State on Approved Purposes, including the
provisions related to Core Strategies, if applicable.
(d) To the extent that Opioid Funds are not appropriated and expended in a year by
the State, the State shall identify the investments where settlement funds will be
deposited. Any gains, profits, or interest accrued from the deposit of the Opioid
Funds to the extent that any funds are not appropriated and expended within a
calendar year, shall be the sole property of the Party that was entitled to the initial
deposit.
4. Regional Fund Sliding Scale- The Regional Fund shall be calculated by utilizing
the following sliding scale of the Opioid Funds available in any year:
A. Years 1-6: 40%
B. Years 7-9: 35%
C. Years 10-12: 34%
D. Years 13-15: 33%
E. Years 16-18: 30%
5. Opioid Abatement Taskforce or Council - The State will create an Opioid
Abatement Taskforce or Council (sometimes hereinafter "Taskforce" or "Council") to advise the
Governor, the Legislature, Florida's Department of Children and Families ("DCF"), and Local
Governments on the priorities that should be addressed as part of the opioid epidemic and to
review how monies have been spent and the results that have been achieved with Opioid Funds.
(a) Size - The Taskforce or Council shall have ten Members equally balanced
between the State and the Local Governments.
(b)
Appointments Local Governments - Two Municipality representatives will be
appointed by or through Florida League of Cities. Two county representatives,
one from a Qualified County and one from a county within the State that is not a
Qualified County, will be appointed by or through the Florida Association of
Counties. The final representative will alternate every two years between being a
county representative (appointed by or through Florida Association of Counties)
or a Municipality representative (appointed by or through the Florida League of
Cities). One Municipality representative must be from a city of less than 50,000
people. One county representative must be from a county less than 200,000
people and the other county representative must be from a county whose
population exceeds 200,000 people.
(c) Appointments State -
(i) The Governor shall appoint two Members.
(ii) The Speaker of the House shall appoint one Member.
(iii) The Senate President shall appoint one Member.
(iv) The Attorney General or her designee shall be a Member.
(d) Chair - The Attorney General or designee shall be the chair of the Taskforce or
Council.
(e) Term - Members will be appointed to serve a two-year term.
(f)
(g)
Support - DCF shall support the Taskforce or Council and the Taskforce or
Council shall be administratively housed in DCF.
Meetings - The Taskforce or Council shall meet quarterly in person or virtually
using communications media technology as defined in section 120.54(5)(b)(2),
Florida Statutes.
(h) Reporting - The Taskforce or Council shall provide and publish a report annually
no later than November 30th or the first business day after November 30th, if
November 30th falls on a weekend or is otherwise not a business day. The report
shall contain information on how monies were spent the previous fiscal year by
the State, each of the Qualified Counties, each of the Managing Entities, and each
of the Local Governments. It shall also contain recommendations to the
Governor, the Legislature, and Local Governments for priorities among the
Approved Purposes for how monies should be spent the coming fiscal year to
respond to the opioid epidemic.
(i) Accountability - Prior to July 1st of each year, the State and each of the Local
Governments shall provide information to DCF about how they intend to expend
Opioid Funds in the upcoming fiscal year. The State and each of the Local
Government shall report its expenditures to DCF no later than August 31st for the
previous fiscal year. The Taskforce or Council will set other data sets that need to
be reported to DCF to demonstrate the effectiveness of Approved Purposes. All
programs and expenditures shall be audited annually in a similar fashion to
SAMHSA programs. Local Governments shall respond and provide documents to
any reasonable requests from the State for data or information about programs
receiving Opioid Funds.
(j) Conflict of Interest - All Members shall adhere to the rules, regulations and laws
of Florida including, but not limited to, Florida Statute §112.311, concerning the
disclosure of conflicts of interest and recusal from discussions or votes on
conflicted matters.
6. Administrative Costs- The State may take no more than a 5% administrative fee
from the State Fund ("Administrative Costs") and any Regional Fund that it administers for
counties that are not Qualified Counties. Each Qualified County may take no more than a 5%
administrative fee from its share of the Regional Funds.
7. Negotiation of Non -Multistate Settlements - If the State begins negotiations
with a Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participant that is separate and apart from a multi -state
negotiation, the State shall include Local Governments that are a part of the Negotiating
Committee in such negotiations. No Settlement shall be recommended or accepted without the
affirmative votes of both the State and Local Government representatives of the Negotiating
Committee.
8. Negotiation of Multistate or Local Government Settlements - To the extent
practicable and allowed by other parties to a negotiation, both Parties agree to communicate with
members of the Negotiation Committee regarding the terms of any other Pharmaceutical Supply
Chain Participant Settlement.
9. Expense Fund - The Parties agree that in any negotiation every effort shall be
made to cause Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participants to pay costs of litigation, including
attorneys' fees, in addition to any agreed to Opioid Funds in the Settlement. To the extent that a
fund sufficient to pay the entirety of all contingency fee contracts for Local Governments in the
State of Florida is not created as part of a Settlement by a Pharmaceutical Supply Chain
Participant, the Parties agree that an additional expense fund for attorneys who represent Local
Governments (herein "Expense Fund") shall be created out of the City/County fund for the
purpose of paying the hard costs of a litigating Local Government and then paying attorneys'
fees.
(a) The Source of Funds for the Expense Fund- Money for the Expense Fund shall be
sourced exclusively from the City/County Fund.
(b) The Amount of the Expense Fund- The State recognizes the value litigating Local
Governments bring to the State of Florida in connection with the Settlement
because their participation increases the amount Incentive Payments due from
each Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Participant. In recognition of that value, the
amount of funds that shall be deposited into the Expense fund shall be contingent
upon on the percentage of litigating Local Government participation in the
Settlement, according to the following table:
Litigating Local Government
Participation in the
Settlement (by percentage of
the population)
Amount that shall be paid
into the Expense Fund
from (and as a percentage
of) the City/County fund
96 to 100%
10%
91 to 95%
7.5%
86 to 90%
5%
85%
2.5%
Less than 85%
0%
If fewer than 85% percent of the litigating Local Governments (by population)
participate, then the Expense Fund shall not be funded, and this Section of the
MOU shall be null and void.
(c) The Timing of Payments into the Expense Fund- Although the amount of the
Expense Fund shall be calculated based on the entirety of payments due to the
City/County fund over a ten to eighteen year period, the Expense Fund shall be
funded entirely from payments made by Pharmaceutical Supply Chain
Participants during the first two years of the Settlement. Accordingly, to offset
the amounts being paid from the City/County to the Expense Fund in the first two
years, Counties or Municipalities may borrow from the Regional Fund during the
first two years and pay the borrowed amounts back to the Regional Fund during
years three, four, and five.
For the avoidance of doubt, the following provides an illustrative example regarding the
calculation of payments and amounts that may be borrowed under the terms of this MOU,
consistent with the provisions of this Section:
Opioid Funds due to State of Florida and Local Governments (over 10 to 18 years): $1,000
Litigating Local Government Participation: 100%
City/County Fund (over 10 to 18 years): $150
Expense Fund (paid over 2 years): $15
Amount Paid to Expense Fund in 1st year: $7.5
Amount Paid to Expense Fund in 2nd year $7.5
Amount that may be borrowed from Regional Fund in 1st year: $7.5
Amount that may be borrowed from Regional Fund in 2nd year: $7.5
Amount that must be paid back to Regional Fund in 3rd year: $5
Amount that must be paid back to Regional Fund in 4th year: $5
Amount that must be paid back to Regional Fund in 5th year: $5
(d) Creation of and Jurisdiction over the Expense Fund- The Expense Fund shall be
established, consistent with the provisions of this Section of the MOU, by order of
the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit in and for Pasco County, West
Pasco Division New Port Richey, Florida, in the matter of The State of Florida,
Office of the Attorney General, Department of Legal Affairs v. Purdue Pharma
L.P., et al., Case No. 2018 -CA -001438 (the "Court"). The Court shall have
jurisdiction over the Expense Fund, including authority to allocate and disburse
amounts from the Expense Fund and to resolve any disputes concerning the
Expense Fund.
(e) Allocation of Payments to Counsel from the Expense Fund- As part of the order
establishing the Expense Fund, counsel for the litigating Local Governments shall
seek to have the Court appoint a third -neutral to serve as a special master for
purposes of allocating the Expense Fund. Within 30 days of entry of the order
appointing a special master for the Expense Fund, any counsel who intend to seek
an award from the Expense Fund shall provide the copies of their contingency fee
contracts to the special master. The special master shall then build a
mathematical model, which shall be based on each litigating Local Government's
share under the Negotiation Class Metrics and the rate set forth in their
contingency contracts, to calculate a proposed award for each litigating Local
Government who timely provided a copy of its contingency contract.
10. Dispute resolution- Any one or more of the Local Governments or the State may
object to an allocation or expenditure of Opioid Funds solely on the basis that the allocation or
expenditure at issue (a) is inconsistent with the Approved Purposes; (b) is inconsistent with the
distribution scheme as provided in paragraph 3, or (c) violates the limitations set forth herein
with respect to administrative costs or the Expense Fund. There shall be no other basis for
bringing an objection to the approval of an allocation or expenditure of Opioid Funds.
Schedule A
Core Strategies
States and Qualifying Block Grantees shall choose from among the abatement strategies listed in
Schedule B. However, priority shall be given to the following core abatement strategies ("Core
Strategies")[, such that a minimum of % of the [aggregate] state -level abatement distributions shall
be spent on [one or more of] them annually].'
A. Naloxone or other FDA -approved drug to reverse opioid overdoses
1. Expand training for first responders, schools, community support groups and families; and
2. Increase distribution to individuals who are uninsured or whose insurance does not cover the needed
service.
B. Medication -Assisted Treatment ("MAT") Distribution and other opioid -related treatment
1. Increase distribution of MAT to non -Medicaid eligible or uninsured individuals;
2. Provide education to school-based and youth -focused programs that discourage or prevent misuse;
3. Provide MAT education and awareness training to healthcare providers, EMTs, law enforcement,
and other first responders; and
4. Treatment and Recovery Support Services such as residential and inpatient treatment, intensive
outpatient treatment, outpatient therapy or counseling, and recovery housing that allow or integrate
medication with other support services.
C. Pregnant & Postpartum Women
1. Expand Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment ("SBIRT") services to non -
Medicaid eligible or uninsured pregnant women;
2. Expand comprehensive evidence -based treatment and recovery services, including MAT, for women
with co-occurring Opioid Use Disorder ("OUD") and other Substance Use Disorder ("SUD")/Mental
Health disorders for uninsured individuals for up to 12 months postpartum; and
3. Provide comprehensive wrap-around services to individuals with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)
including housing, transportation, job placement/training, and childcare.
D. Expanding Treatment for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
1. Expand comprehensive evidence -based and recovery support for NAS babies;
2. Expand services for better continuum of care with infant -need dyad; and
3. Expand long-term treatment and services for medical monitoring of NAS babies and their families.
' As used in this Schedule A, words like "expand," "fund," "provide" or the like shall not indicate a preference for new or
existing programs. Priorities will be established through the mechanisms described in the Term Sheet.
1
E. Expansion of Warm Hand-off Programs and Recovery Services
1. Expand services such as navigators and on-call teams to begin MAT in hospital emergency
departments;
2. Expand warm hand-off services to transition to recovery services;
3. Broaden scope of recovery services to include co-occurring SUD or mental health conditions. ;
4. Provide comprehensive wrap-around services to individuals in recovery including housing,
transportation, job placement/training, and childcare; and
5. Hire additional social workers or other behavioral health workers to facilitate expansions above.
F. Treatment for Incarcerated Population
1. Provide evidence -based treatment and recovery support including MAT for persons with OUD and
co-occurring SUD/MH disorders within and transitioning out of the criminal justice system; and
2. Increase funding for jails to provide treatment to inmates with OUD.
G. Prevention Programs
1. Funding for media campaigns to prevent opioid use (similar to the FDA's "Real Cost" campaign to
prevent youth from misusing tobacco);
2. Funding for evidence -based prevention programs in schools.;
3. Funding for medical provider education and outreach regarding best prescribing practices for opioids
consistent with the 2016 CDC guidelines, including providers at hospitals (academic detailing);
4. Funding for community drug disposal programs; and
5. Funding and training for first responders to participate in pre -arrest diversion programs, post -
overdose response teams, or similar strategies that connect at -risk individuals to behavioral health
services and supports.
H. Expanding Syringe Service Programs
1. Provide comprehensive syringe services programs with more wrap-around services including linkage
to OUD treatment, access to sterile syringes, and linkage to care and treatment of infectious diseases.
I. Evidence -based data collection and research analyzing the effectiveness of the abatement strategies
within the State.
2
Schedule B
Approved Uses
PART ONE: TREATMENT
A. TREAT OPIOID USE DISORDER (OUD)
Support treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and any co-occurring Substance Use Disorder or
Mental Health (SUD/MH) conditions through evidence -based or evidence -informed programs or
strategies that may include, but are not limited to, the following:2
1. Expand availability of treatment for OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions, including all
forms of Medication -Assisted Treatment (MAT) approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
2. Support and reimburse evidence -based services that adhere to the American Society of Addiction
Medicine (ASAM) continuum of care for OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions
3. Expand telehealth to increase access to treatment for OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH
conditions, including MAT, as well as counseling, psychiatric support, and other treatment and
recovery support services.
4. Improve oversight of Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) to assure evidence -based or evidence -
informed practices such as adequate methadone dosing and low threshold approaches to treatment.
5. Support mobile intervention, treatment, and recovery services, offered by qualified professionals and
service providers, such as peer recovery coaches, for persons with OUD and any co-occurring
SUD/MH conditions and for persons who have experienced an opioid overdose.
6. Treatment of trauma for individuals with OUD (e.g., violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, or
adverse childhood experiences) and family members (e.g., surviving family members after an overdose
or overdose fatality), and training of health care personnel to identify and address such trauma.
7. Support evidence -based withdrawal management services for people with OUD and any co-
occurring mental health conditions.
8. Training on MAT for health care providers, first responders, students, or other supporting
professionals, such as peer recovery coaches or recovery outreach specialists, including telementoring
to assist community-based providers in rural or underserved areas.
9. Support workforce development for addiction professionals who work with persons with OUD and
any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions.
10. Fellowships for addiction medicine specialists for direct patient care, instructors, and clinical
research for treatments.
11. Scholarships and supports for behavioral health practitioners or workers involved in addressing
OUD and any co-occurring SUD or mental health conditions, including but not limited to training,
2 As used in this Schedule B, words like "expand," "fund," "provide" or the like shall not indicate a preference for new or
existing programs. Priorities will be established through the mechanisms described in the Term Sheet.
3
scholarships, fellowships, loan repayment programs, or other incentives for providers to work in rural
or underserved areas.
12. [Intentionally Blank — to be cleaned up later for numbering]
13. Provide funding and training for clinicians to obtain a waiver under the federal Drug Addiction
Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA 2000) to prescribe MAT for OUD, and provide technical assistance and
professional support to clinicians who have obtained a DATA 2000 waiver.
14. Dissemination of web -based training curricula, such as the American Academy of Addiction
Psychiatry's Provider Clinical Support Service -Opioids web -based training curriculum and
motivational interviewing.
15. Development and dissemination of new curricula, such as the American Academy of Addiction
Psychiatry's Provider Clinical Support Service for Medication -Assisted Treatment.
B. SUPPORT PEOPLE IN TREATMENT AND RECOVERY
Support people in treatment for or recovery from OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions
through evidence -based or evidence -informed programs or strategies that may include, but are not
limited to, the following:
1. Provide comprehensive wrap-around services to individuals with OUD and any co-occurring
SUD/MH conditions, including housing, transportation, education, job placement, job training, or
childcare.
2. Provide the full continuum of care of treatment and recovery services for OUD and any co-occurring
SUD/MH conditions, including supportive housing, peer support services and counseling, community
navigators, case management, and connections to community-based services.
3. Provide counseling, peer -support, recovery case management and residential treatment with access to
medications for those who need it to persons with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions.
4. Provide access to housing for people with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions,
including supportive housing, recovery housing, housing assistance programs, training for housing
providers, or recovery housing programs that allow or integrate FDA -approved medication with other
support services.
5. Provide community support services, including social and legal services, to assist in
deinstitutionalizing persons with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions.
6. Support or expand peer -recovery centers, which may include support groups, social events, computer
access, or other services for persons with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions.
7. Provide or support transportation to treatment or recovery programs or services for persons with
OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions.
8. Provide employment training or educational services for persons in treatment for or recovery from
OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions.
4
9. Identify successful recovery programs such as physician, pilot, and college recovery programs, and
provide support and technical assistance to increase the number and capacity of high-quality programs
to help those in recovery.
10. Engage non -profits, faith -based communities, and community coalitions to support people in
treatment and recovery and to support family members in their efforts to support the person with OUD
in the family.
11. Training and development of procedures for government staff to appropriately interact and provide
social and other services to individuals with or in recovery from OUD, including reducing stigma.
12. Support stigma reduction efforts regarding treatment and support for persons with OUD, including
reducing the stigma on effective treatment.
13. Create or support culturally appropriate services and programs for persons with OUD and any co-
occurring SUD/MH conditions, including new Americans.
14. Create and/or support recovery high schools.
15. Hire or train behavioral health workers to provide or expand any of the services or supports listed
above.
C. CONNECT PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP TO THE HELP THEY NEED (CONNECTIONS
TO CARE)
Provide connections to care for people who have — or at risk of developing — OUD and any co-
occurring SUD/MH conditions through evidence -based or evidence -informed programs or strategies
that may include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Ensure that health care providers are screening for OUD and other risk factors and know how to
appropriately counsel and treat (or refer if necessary) a patient for OUD treatment.
2. Fund Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) programs to reduce the
transition from use to disorders, including SBIRT services to pregnant women who are uninsured or not
eligible for Medicaid.
3. Provide training and long-term implementation of SBIRT in key systems (health, schools, colleges,
criminal justice, and probation), with a focus on youth and young adults when transition from misuse to
opioid disorder is common.
4. Purchase automated versions of SBIRT and support ongoing costs of the technology.
5. Expand services such as navigators and on-call teams to begin MAT in hospital emergency
departments.
6. Training for emergency room personnel treating opioid overdose patients on post -discharge planning,
including community referrals for MAT, recovery case management or support services.
7. Support hospital programs that transition persons with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH
conditions, or persons who have experienced an opioid overdose, into clinically -appropriate follow-up
care through a bridge clinic or similar approach.
5
8. Support crisis stabilization centers that serve as an alternative to hospital emergency departments for
persons with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions or persons that have experienced an
opioid overdose.
9. Support the work of Emergency Medical Systems, including peer support specialists, to connect
individuals to treatment or other appropriate services following an opioid overdose or other opioid -
related adverse event.
10. Provide funding for peer support specialists or recovery coaches in emergency departments, detox
facilities, recovery centers, recovery housing, or similar settings; offer services, supports, or
connections to care to persons with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions or to persons who
have experienced an opioid overdose.
11. Expand warm hand-off services to transition to recovery services.
12. Create or support school-based contacts that parents can engage with to seek immediate treatment
services for their child; and support prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery programs focused
on young people.
13. Develop and support best practices on addressing OUD in the workplace.
14. Support assistance programs for health care providers with OUD.
15. Engage non -profits and the faith community as a system to support outreach for treatment.
16. Support centralized call centers that provide information and connections to appropriate services
and supports for persons with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions.
D. ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF CRIMINAL -JUSTICE -INVOLVED PERSONS
Address the needs of persons with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions who are involved
in, are at risk of becoming involved in, or are transitioning out of the criminal justice system through
evidence -based or evidence -informed programs or strategies that may include, but are not limited to,
the following:
1. Support pre -arrest or pre -arraignment diversion and deflection strategies for persons with OUD and
any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions, including established strategies such as:
a. Self -referral strategies such as the Angel Programs or the Police Assisted Addiction Recovery
Initiative (PAARI);
b. Active outreach strategies such as the Drug Abuse Response Team (DART) model;
c. "Naloxone Plus" strategies, which work to ensure that individuals who have received
naloxone to reverse the effects of an overdose are then linked to treatment programs or other
appropriate services;
d. Officer prevention strategies, such as the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD)
model;
e. Officer intervention strategies such as the Leon County, Florida Adult Civil Citation Network
or the Chicago Westside Narcotics Diversion to Treatment Initiative; or
6
f. Co -responder and/or alternative responder models to address OUD-related 911 calls with
greater SUD expertise
2. Support pre-trial services that connect individuals with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH
conditions to evidence -informed treatment, including MAT, and related services.
3. Support treatment and recovery courts that provide evidence -based options for persons with OUD
and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions
4. Provide evidence -informed treatment, including MAT, recovery support, harm reduction, or other
appropriate services to individuals with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions who are
incarcerated in jail or prison.
5. Provide evidence -informed treatment, including MAT, recovery support, harm reduction, or other
appropriate services to individuals with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions who are
leaving jail or prison have recently left jail or prison, are on probation or parole, are under community
corrections supervision, or are in re-entry programs or facilities.
6. Support critical time interventions (CTI), particularly for individuals living with dual -diagnosis
OUD/serious mental illness, and services for individuals who face immediate risks and service needs
and risks upon release from correctional settings.
7. Provide training on best practices for addressing the needs of criminal -justice -involved persons with
OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions to law enforcement, correctional, or judicial personnel
or to providers of treatment, recovery, harm reduction, case management, or other services offered in
connection with any of the strategies described in this section.
E. ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF PREGNANT OR PARENTING WOMEN AND THEIR
FAMILIES, INCLUDING BABIES WITH NEONATAL ABSTINENCE SYNDROME
Address the needs of pregnant or parenting women with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH
conditions, and the needs of their families, including babies with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS),
through evidence -based or evidence -informed programs or strategies that may include, but are not
limited to, the following:
1. Support evidence -based or evidence -informed treatment, including MAT, recovery services and
supports, and prevention services for pregnant women — or women who could become pregnant — who
have OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions, and other measures to educate and provide
support to families affected by Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.
2. Expand comprehensive evidence -based treatment and recovery services, including MAT, for
uninsured women with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions for up to 12 months
postpartum.
3. Training for obstetricians or other healthcare personnel that work with pregnant women and their
families regarding treatment of OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions.
4. Expand comprehensive evidence -based treatment and recovery support for NAS babies; expand
services for better continuum of care with infant -need dyad; expand long-term treatment and services
for medical monitoring of NAS babies and their families.
7
5. Provide training to health care providers who work with pregnant or parenting women on best
practices for compliance with federal requirements that children born with Neonatal Abstinence
Syndrome get referred to appropriate services and receive a plan of safe care.
6. Child and family supports for parenting women with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH
conditions.
7. Enhanced family supports and child care services for parents with OUD and any co-occurring
SUD/MH conditions.
8. Provide enhanced support for children and family members suffering trauma as a result of addiction
in the family; and offer trauma -informed behavioral health treatment for adverse childhood events.
9. Offer home-based wrap-around services to persons with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH
conditions, including but not limited to parent skills training.
10. Support for Children's Services — Fund additional positions and services, including supportive
housing and other residential services, relating to children being removed from the home and/or placed
in foster care due to custodial opioid use.
PART TWO: PREVENTION
F. PREVENT OVER -PRESCRIBING AND ENSURE APPROPRIATE PRESCRIBING AND
DISPENSING OF OPIOIDS
Support efforts to prevent over -prescribing and ensure appropriate prescribing and dispensing of
opioids through evidence -based or evidence -informed programs or strategies that may include, but are
not limited to, the following:
1. Fund medical provider education and outreach regarding best prescribing practices for opioids
consistent with Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain from the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, including providers at hospitals (academic detailing).
2. Training for health care providers regarding safe and responsible opioid prescribing, dosing, and
tapering patients off opioids.
3. Continuing Medical Education (CME) on appropriate prescribing of opioids.
4. Support for non -opioid pain treatment alternatives, including training providers to offer or refer to
multi -modal, evidence -informed treatment of pain.
5. Support enhancements or improvements to Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs),
including but not limited to improvements that:
a. Increase the number of prescribers using PDMPs;
b. Improve point -of -care decision-making by increasing the quantity, quality, or format of data
available to prescribers using PDMPs, by improving the interface that prescribers use to access
PDMP data, or both; or
8
c. Enable states to use PDMP data in support of surveillance or intervention strategies, including
MAT referrals and follow-up for individuals identified within PDMP data as likely to
experience OUD in a manner that complies with all relevant privacy and security laws and rules.
6. Ensuring PDMPs incorporate available overdose/naloxone deployment data, including the United
States Department of Transportation's Emergency Medical Technician overdose database in a manner
that complies with all relevant privacy and security laws and rules.
7. Increase electronic prescribing to prevent diversion or forgery.
8. Educate Dispensers on appropriate opioid dispensing.
G. PREVENT MISUSE OF OPIOIDS
Support efforts to discourage or prevent misuse of opioids through evidence -based or evidence -
informed programs or strategies that may include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Fund media campaigns to prevent opioid misuse.
2. Corrective advertising or affirmative public education campaigns based on evidence.
3. Public education relating to drug disposal.
4. Drug take -back disposal or destruction programs.
5. Fund community anti-drug coalitions that engage in drug prevention efforts.
6. Support community coalitions in implementing evidence -informed prevention, such as reduced
social access and physical access, stigma reduction — including staffing, educational campaigns, support
for people in treatment or recovery, or training of coalitions in evidence -informed implementation,
including the Strategic Prevention Framework developed by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
7. Engage non -profits and faith -based communities as systems to support prevention.
8. Fund evidence -based prevention programs in schools or evidence -informed school and community
education programs and campaigns for students, families, school employees, school athletic programs,
parent -teacher and student associations, and others.
9. School-based or youth -focused programs or strategies that have demonstrated effectiveness in
preventing drug misuse and seem likely to be effective in preventing the uptake and use of opioids.
10. Create of support community-based education or intervention services for families, youth, and
adolescents at risk for OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions.
11. Support evidence -informed programs or curricula to address mental health needs of young people
who may be at risk of misusing opioids or other drugs, including emotional modulation and resilience
skills.
12. Support greater access to mental health services and supports for young people, including services
and supports provided by school nurses, behavioral health workers or other school staff, to address
9
mental health needs in young people that (when not properly addressed) increase the risk of opioid or
other drug misuse.
H. PREVENT OVERDOSE DEATHS AND OTHER HARMS (HARM REDUCTION)
Support efforts to prevent or reduce overdose deaths or other opioid -related harms through evidence -
based or evidence -informed programs or strategies that may include, but are not limited to, the
following:
1. Increase availability and distribution of naloxone and other drugs that treat overdoses for first
responders, overdose patients, individuals with OUD and their friends and family members, individuals
at high risk of overdose, schools, community navigators and outreach workers, persons being released
from jail or prison, or other members of the general public.
2. Public health entities provide free naloxone to anyone in the community
3. Training and education regarding naloxone and other drugs that treat overdoses for first responders,
overdose patients, patients taking opioids, families, schools, community support groups, and other
members of the general public.
4. Enable school nurses and other school staff to respond to opioid overdoses, and provide them with
naloxone, training, and support.
5. Expand, improve, or develop data tracking software and applications for overdoses/naloxone
revivals.
6. Public education relating to emergency responses to overdoses.
7. Public education relating to immunity and Good Samaritan laws.
8. Educate first responders regarding the existence and operation of immunity and Good Samaritan
laws.
9. Syringe service programs and other evidence -informed programs to reduce harms associated with
intravenous drug use, including supplies, staffing, space, peer support services, referrals to treatment,
fentanyl checking, connections to care, and the full range of harm reduction and treatment services
provided by these programs.
10. Expand access to testing and treatment for infectious diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C resulting
from intravenous opioid use.
11. Support mobile units that offer or provide referrals to harm reduction services, treatment, recovery
supports, health care, or other appropriate services to persons that use opioids or persons with OUD and
any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions.
12. Provide training in harm reduction strategies to health care providers, students, peer recovery
coaches, recovery outreach specialists, or other professionals that provide care to persons who use
opioids or persons with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions.
13. Support screening for fentanyl in routine clinical toxicology testing.
10
PART THREE: OTHER STRATEGIES
I. FIRST RESPONDERS
In addition to items in sections C, D, and H relating to first responders, support the following:
1. Educate law enforcement or other first responders regarding appropriate practices and precautions
when dealing with fentanyl or other drugs.
2. Provision of wellness and support services for first responders and others who experience secondary
trauma associated with opioid -related emergency events.
J. LEADERSHIP, PLANNING AND COORDINATION
Support efforts to provide leadership, planning, coordination, facilitation, training and technical
assistance to abate the opioid epidemic through activities, programs, or strategies that may include, but
are not limited to, the following:
1. Statewide, regional, local, or community regional planning to identify root causes of addiction and
overdose, goals for reducing harms related to the opioid epidemic, and areas and populations with the
greatest needs for treatment intervention services; to support training and technical assistance; or to
support other strategies to abate the opioid epidemic described in this opioid abatement strategy list.
2. A dashboard to share reports, recommendations, or plans to spend opioid settlement funds; to show
how opioid settlement funds have been spent; to report program or strategy outcomes; or to track, share,
or visualize key opioid -related or health-related indicators and supports as identified through
collaborative statewide, regional, local, or community processes.
3. Invest in infrastructure or staffing at government or not-for-profit agencies to support collaborative,
cross -system coordination with the purpose of preventing overprescribing, opioid misuse, or opioid
overdoses, treating those with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions, supporting them in
treatment or recovery, connecting them to care, or implementing other strategies to abate the opioid
epidemic described in this opioid abatement strategy list.
4. Provide resources to staff government oversight and management of opioid abatement programs.
K. TRAINING
In addition to the training referred to throughout this document, support training to abate the opioid
epidemic through activities, programs, or strategies that may include, but are not limited to, the
following:
1. Provide funding for staff training or networking programs and services to improve the capability of
government, community, and not-for-profit entities to abate the opioid crisis.
2. Support infrastructure and staffing for collaborative cross -system coordination to prevent opioid
misuse, prevent overdoses, and treat those with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions, or
implement other strategies to abate the opioid epidemic described in this opioid abatement strategy list
(e.g., health care, primary care, pharmacies, PDMPs, etc.).
L. RESEARCH
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Support opioid abatement research that may include, but is not limited to, the following:
1. Monitoring, surveillance, data collection, and evaluation of programs and strategies described in this
opioid abatement strategy list.
2. Research non -opioid treatment of chronic pain.
3. Research on improved service delivery for modalities such as SBIRT that demonstrate promising but
mixed results in populations vulnerable to opioid use disorders.
4. Research on novel harm reduction and prevention efforts such as the provision of fentanyl test strips.
5. Research on innovative supply-side enforcement efforts such as improved detection of mail -based
delivery of synthetic opioids.
6. Expanded research on swift/certain/fair models to reduce and deter opioid misuse within criminal
justice populations that build upon promising approaches used to address other substances (e.g. Hawaii
HOPE and Dakota 24/7).
7. Epidemiological surveillance of OUD-related behaviors in critical populations including individuals
entering the criminal justice system, including but not limited to approaches modeled on the Arrestee
Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) system.
8. Qualitative and quantitative research regarding public health risks and harm reduction opportunities
within illicit drug markets, including surveys of market participants who sell or distribute illicit opioids.
9. Geospatial analysis of access barriers to MAT and their association with treatment engagement and
treatment outcomes.
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EXHIBIT B
Centralized. County -wide Competitive Grant Process (following Social Action Model)
• Fiscal Oversight:
o Regional Funding is provided to Pinellas County for direct fiscal oversight, accountability,
and coordination across litigation partners (i.e.: St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Pinellas
Park)
• Unified, Competitive Process for Fund Allocation:
o Pinellas County would leverage the County's infrastructure, including but not limited to
Social Action Funding infrastructure, to perform competitive solicitation in single or
multiple rounds
o Leverage Online Neighborly Granting Software, or other similar software, for application
submission, documentation, and review
o Agencies/service providers can have multiple submissions under different priority areas
o Awards can be designed as one-year or multi-year efforts depending on the structure of
the opioid funding
• Review Team Under Unified Process:
o Reviewers would represent County, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Pinellas Park, and may
also include local Department of Health
o Final Review recommendations approved by the BCC for funding pursuant to the terms
of the Interlocal Agreement Governing Use of Pinellas County Regional Opioid
Settlement Funds
• Oversight and Reporting:
o Contracts would be issued by Pinellas County
o Quarterly Governance Meetings by the Pinellas Opioid Abatement Funding Advisory
Board (OAFAB)
o Quarterly reporting by awarded agencies/service providers
o Annual, or as required, Reporting by County (report to BCC for approval and forwarded
to State) pursuant to the agreement with the Florida Plan
• Priority Areas for Awards:
o As determined by OAFAB pursuant to the Approved Uses under the Florida Plan which
may include:
• Opioid and substance misuse prevention and education
• Opioid and substance misuse treatment and supportive services
• Opioid and substance misuse education and caregiver support
• Opioid and substance misuse mitigation and enforcement
• System -Level Investments and Innovations to abate the opioid epidemic
• Competitive Award Amounts:
o Award amounts may vary depending on available resource levels and priorities of
OAFAB and data -reflected needs of the community.
• Basic Eligibility Examples for Competitive Awards:
o The proposed programs/services must serve residents of Pinellas County.
o The applicant organization must not discriminate against any person on the basis of age,
sex, race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, disability, marital status or sexual
orientation in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services, activities
and/or employment.
o The mission of the applicant organization must be consistent with the goal of addressing
the health, economic, and social well-being of Pinellas County residents in need of opioid
and substance misuse assistance.
o The applicant organization must be incorporated in the State of Florida for at least one
(1) year prior to date of application.
o The applicant organization must agree to all terms and conditions contained in the
Pinellas County Funding Agreement.
o Programs proposed by faith organizations must have a secular purpose, neither advance
nor inhibit religion, and must not require worship or religious instruction activities as a
condition of participation per Federal guidelines. Services provided by faith organizations
must be available to Pinellas County residents, not solely for congregation members.
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