MMA webinar covers opioid settlement fund best practices

The MMA hosted a webinar on Nov. 20 focused on best practices for municipal use of opioid settlement funds.

Kelly Joseph, senior program manager at Advocates for Human Potential, said opioid settlement funds offer municipalities a transformative opportunity to meaningfully address the harm caused by the overdose crisis.

She said structured planning and assessment for how to spend the funds ensures that:
• Funds are effective and responsive to community needs.
• Trust is built through thoughtful community engagement.
• A clear baseline is developed to measure progress and guide future decisions.

Joseph emphasized the importance of prioritizing early planning, leveraging the support of community partners or technical assistance, and letting community-driven data guide local decisions.

Sudbury Public Health Director Vivian Zeng discussed her town’s approach to using opioid settlement funds, highlighting how the town joined others to form the Great Meadows Public Health Collaborative and work regionally.

Zeng discussed the process of hiring a staff person for the collaborative. A regional substance use prevention coordinator, Olivia Dufour, was hired to coordinate evidence-based substance use prevention programs and organize community events.

Dufour said the best way to collect community-level feedback is by using mixed-method surveys, focus groups, and key informant interviews, all of which will guide the priorities of the region.

Hingham Health Director Susan Sarni moderated 20 minutes of questions and answers, which addressed the benefits of working regionally, engaging residents with lived experiences, and the definition of harm reduction.

 

• Assessment and Planning Services for Opioid Settlement Funds – Advocates for Human Potential (200K PDF)
• Planning and Partnering for Impact: Best Practices for Municipal Opioid Settlement Funds presentation (3M PDF)