By Sandra J. Milburn, Reno County Communications Specialist
RENO COUNTY, Kan. — To date, Reno County and Hutchinson have received approximately $240,000 through the Kansas State Attorney General’s Office for their respective Kansas Fights Addictions Funds.
In order to best meet the needs of our community, the Reno County Health Department has convened an Opioid Settlement Funds Advisory Oversight Committee, made up of a variety of community stakeholders who have looked at the data available for Reno County, identified goals and measures of success for the City of Hutchinson and Reno County as a whole as well as identified the abatement strategies that should be prioritized. This committee is tasked with making sure that the Reno County Fights Addiction Fund is spent sustainably and in ways which may boost efforts currently happening within Reno County.
To be eligible, proposals must come from organizations that are exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) and serve Reno County, Kansas. Special purpose units of government may apply for support of innovative projects. Community groups who do not have a 501(c)(3) status may apply for grant awards if another tax-exempt organization acts as a fiscal sponsor. Grant proposals from individuals or non-qualifying organizations will not be considered.
Proposals will be accepted between September 11 and October 16, 2023. Send completed proposals to [email protected] by October 16, 2023, at 4:30 p.m. Contact Candace Davidson with any questions, 620-259-8463.
###
More information
Reno County/Hutchinson Fights Addiction Fund
Over 100,000 people died as a result of the overdose epidemic from September 2020 to September 2021. Approximately 75,000 of those deaths involved opioids, most of which were due to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. Settlements have been reached with several opioid distributors and outline core abatement strategies, Exhibit E of the settlements, to address the opioid crisis. Given the short-term nature of the funds, prioritization is given to funding projects in need of one-time or start-up costs. Spending the litigation money on evidence-based strategies to save lives from prescription opioid misuse and illicit opioid use is essential.
Reno County and Hutchinson have received approximately $240,000 so far and are expected to receive more over the next 18 years. In order to best meet the needs of our community, the Reno County Health Department has convened a committee, Opioid Settlement Funds Advisory Oversight Committee, made up of a variety of community stakeholders who have looked at the data available for Reno County, identified goals and measures of success for the City of Hutchinson and Reno County as a whole as well as identified the abatement strategies that should be prioritized. This committee is tasked with making sure that the Reno County Fights Addiction Fund is spent in a way that saves lives from prescription opioid misuse and illicit opioid use, while also coming alongside efforts currently happening within Reno County.
Eligible Applicants
Proposals must come from organizations that are exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) and serve Reno County, Kansas. Special purpose units of government may apply for support of innovative projects. Community groups who do not have a 501(c)(3) status may apply for grant awards if another tax-exempt organization acts as a fiscal sponsor. Grant proposals from individuals or non-qualifying organizations will not be considered. Applicants must conduct business without discrimination on the basis of race, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, creed, or ethnicity.
Grant Awards
A total of $100,000 is available to award in 2023 for project implementation and expenditure from November 1, 2023, through December 31, 2024. Individual requests may not exceed $25,000.
Proposals will be reviewed and recommended by the Reno County/Hutchinson Opioid Settlement Funds Advisory Oversight Committee. The Committee may choose to partially fund or deny an applicant’s request. The recommendations will be taken to Hutchinson City Council and Reno County Commission for the final award.
Funding Priorities
- Projects that implement one or more of the following abatement strategies
○ Increase the availability of naloxone, a medication approved by the FDA to reverse opioid overdoses, through purchase, distribution, and/or training on its use.
○ Increase low-threshold access to medication treatment for opioid use disorder, including the development and support of programs that will expand access and provide holistic recovery supports.
○ Creation or expansion of holistic warm hand-off programs coordinated care, and recovery services to help individuals navigate their recovery journey.
○ Increase access to evidence-based treatments and recovery supports for incarcerated individuals with opioid use disorder in jails and prisons or provide evidence-based behavioral health services and supports as an alternative to incarceration.
○ Enrich evidence-based school- and community-based prevention programs.
○ Support data collection and evaluation of abatement programs and strategies.
- Programs that are evidence-based
- Prevention projects in need of one-time or start-up costs
- Projects that provide services and/or remove barriers to service for marginalized, underserved, and vulnerable populations.
- Projects that are implemented in a way that is trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and equitable.
Ineligible Uses
Projects not related to at least one of the listed abatement strategies will not be considered. Also not allowed are projects that supplant existing funding (i.e. Medicaid and other insurance programs should be used as a payment source for treatment wherever possible instead of relying on litigation dollars) and programs that prohibit people from receiving medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder.
Other ineligible projects include religious indoctrination or other proselytization activities, deficit financing, lobbying, electioneering and activities of a political nature, sponsorships for special events, endowment building, direct fundraising, and reimbursement of pre-award costs.
Procedure for Submitting Proposals
Proposals will be accepted between September 11 and October 16, 2023. Send completed proposals to [email protected] by October 16th at 4:30 pm.
Reporting Requirements
Grantees are required to complete and submit a written midterm report to assist Reno County/Hutchinson in telling the story of the project’s impact. A final report is due 30 days following the completion of the project and no later than one year plus 30 days after the grant award date. Failure to complete final reports on time may impact an organization’s ability to receive future funding from the Reno County/Hutchinson Fights Addiction Fund.
Contact Candace Davidson for an application to submit and for any questions at [email protected], 620-259-8463.
