Maricopa County will invest approximately $2 million of the opioid settlement in 12 local organizations doing important work to expand prevention and treatment for youth. Add a recovery program. Strengthen harm reduction programs. Enhance processes to smoothly move people from one service to another.
“Sadly, this pandemic is impacting more families every day,” said District 4 Board of Supervisors Chairman Clint Hickman. “With this investment, we will support agencies working on the front lines, help residents find the resources they need, and work to prevent our youth from starting down a path to addiction. Please support institutions that do this.”
To date, Maricopa County has received $12.5 million in distribution and Janssen opioid settlements and shares in Mallinckrodt's bankruptcy. Maricopa County cities and towns received $11.8 million. When these two settlements are paid in full in 2038, Maricopa County will receive approximately $67.7 million and its cities and towns will receive approximately $63.7 million.
In addition to investing in community-based organizations, Maricopa County has invested $1.5 million in Opioid Settlement Funds to expand drug treatment assistance programs at the Maricopa County Jail. This program gives many people in prison the opportunity to begin an opioid treatment plan that they can continue with after they leave prison.
“Since February, Correctional Health Services (CHS) has deployed two addiction treatment physicians and five addiction specialist health care providers to serve all Maricopa County jail facilities. ” said Dr. David Crutchfield, CHS Medical Director. “Currently, we have over 400 patients enrolled in our opioid treatment program. We continue to work with our Mental Health Community Transition Team and clinic navigators to expand the program every day.”
The number of opioid overdose deaths per 100,000 people in Maricopa County has increased significantly since 2012, from 5.2 deaths per 100,000 people to 28.8 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021. Over the same period, the overdose death rate from synthetic opioids (such as fentanyl) increased by more than 6,000%, from 2.4 to 28.8 deaths. 25.9 per 100k. In both 2020 and 2021, approximately 91% of drug overdose deaths among 15- to 24-year-olds involved synthetic opioids.
The Department of Public Health serves as the lead agency for the Maricopa County Fund and is currently developing a countywide drug use prevention and response plan framework. This plan is used to identify the strategic priorities and investments needed to achieve the desired results. Utilizes state and county substance use data, as well as input from residents and subject matter experts, to inform recommendations on strategies and spending priorities. The plan is expected to be released this fall.
Settlement funds must be disbursed in accordance with approved and nationally recognized strategies to address the opioid epidemic. Approved uses include the treatment of opioid use disorder, support for people in treatment and recovery, support for people suffering from or at risk of developing opioid use disorder, and prevention of opioid overuse and misuse. Includes associated costs. For more information, please visit: Arizona Opioid Settlement Fund Distribution Agreement.
The latest information on current drug use efforts, overdose data, and settlements can be found at: maricopa.gov/SubstanceUse.
The following 12 organizations received funding:
|
organization |
FY24 funding amount |
Project description |
|
banner health foundation |
$199,675 |
The West Valley location will add a youth outpatient chemical dependency program for youth ages 13 to 17, integrating recovery, peer support services, and family support. Banner is also providing systems to health care teams in emergency, emergency, and acute care settings to increase health care professionals' awareness of the services available through Banner Behavioral Health and to understand how to refer children and youth to services. Provides comprehensive training and education. . |
|
Banner Poison and Drug Information Center |
$153,776 |
Expand training and education on substance use disorders, overdose prevention, and naloxone administration to health care providers, first responders, and communities. The evidence-based stigma reduction movement will focus on health care providers, law enforcement, first responders, and other public service people who have a strong affinity for interacting with and supporting people with substance use disorders. Areas of focus for the first year of the program include Mesa, metro Phoenix, Buckeye, Glendale and Peoria. |
|
Chicano Por La Cosa |
$200,000 |
Expand school- and community-based prevention, education, and outreach programs and opportunities for both youth and their parents/caregivers in the South Mountain and Guadalupe Service Areas to create positive outcomes for both youth and their parents/caregivers. Build social and local connections. The program includes positive parenting workshops to increase parent/caregiver knowledge on how to communicate with adolescents/teens to deter and prevent substance abuse, including opioids. Masu. |
|
community bridge |
$175,000 |
Expand school-based services with the Mesa, Chandler, and Gilbert school districts to provide prevention, treatment, and support resources for youth, families, and those who work with youth. Prevention topics include the dangers of fentanyl and trends in other drugs such as marijuana, alcohol, and e-cigarettes. Naloxone training includes overdose prevention education, how to administer the different types of naloxone, and Arizona's Good Samaritan Law. |
|
community medical services |
$200,000 |
Regionally based to add capacity to Maricopa County's existing criminal justice liaison program, establish a qualified harm reduction and naloxone administration training program for public safety and first responders, and begin developing a response framework for Maricopa County. Establish a public safety task force. The goal of diversion programs is to reduce the burden on the criminal justice system by connecting individuals who meet certain criteria before entering the criminal justice system with treatment and social services that they would otherwise not have access to. |
|
Live and Learn in Arizona |
$60,000 |
Aims to help low-income women with substance use disorders maintain sobriety, promote financial independence, and engage in structured pathways to achieve long-term, sustainable stability. Increase the number of clients served through our Women's Resilience Program. To improve access for customers with transportation barriers, services will be provided virtually and in-person at convenient locations throughout Maricopa County. |
|
Neighboring ministries |
$300,000 |
Expand school- and community-based drug use prevention and awareness programs (in English and Spanish) for youth, teens, and parents in inner-city Phoenix. This includes life skills training for teens, harm reduction education, and positive parenting classes to increase protection. Consider factors and build resilience. |
|
not my child |
$250,000 |
Complete continuum of care services to prevent drug/opioid use disorder and increase recovery support for youth and families through school and community-based outreach and programs in central, northwest, and southeast Maricopa County areas. Expand. notMYkid also provides enhanced prevention education and training to parents, school staff, and health care providers through a collaboration with the Partnership to End Addiction, a national best-practice organization. |
|
stand up!glendale |
$50,000 |
Building capacity and working with schools, youth services, faith-based communities, and law enforcement to reduce risk factors such as early drug use through risk education and information for youth and families in the Glendale community. Expand. |
|
guesswork |
$124,110 |
Increase distribution of safe-to-use medications such as fentanyl test strips and educational materials to reduce overdose incidents in Maricopa County |
|
Skies the Limit! Foundation |
$174,999 |
Expand trauma-informed substance use prevention education, life skills training, harm reduction, positive alternative therapies for youth, arts and wilderness activities to increase protective factors and build resilience. Program participants primarily work with the Maricopa County Superior Court Juvenile Probation Office – Juvenile Community Offender Relief and Public Services (JCORPS), Youth Development Institute, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona, and Mesa Public Schools. Recruited through existing partnerships. |
|
telos health |
$67,495 |
Based on opioid use and overdose, we will expand naloxone education, training, and distribution services to the highest-need sectors of the East Valley community. To ensure access to care links at educational events, Telos connects individuals to services with community-based partners, Café Stay Play, school-based programs, mobile integrated health units, and the HIV/AIDS virus. We will introduce you to other Telos Health internal sites and programs. His STI program is based on needs. |
