Evansville Mayor Stephanie Terry today announced a request for proposals for approximately $1.3 million in Opioid Settlement Funds designated for use in the Evansville area.
The funds are part of a $54 billion federal settlement agreement reached in 2021 with Opioid manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. At the time, Indiana learned it would receive $507 million of those funds over an 18-year period; the approximately $1.3 million for which Mayor Terry is seeking proposals includes funds remaining from the city’s allocation in 2023, as well as the city’s full 2024 allocation.
“As of today, we are requesting proposals for projects and programs that can make an impact on the opioid crisis in our community,” Mayor Terry said. “This includes proposals for education and prevention, harm reduction, enforcement, treatment, and any other areas that might make a difference fighting opioids in our community.”
The application form, which is due by May 15, can be found on the city’s website at Document Center / Mayor Announces City Opioid Settlement Fund Application / City of Evansville, IN (evansvillegov.org).
In all, the city has $940,540.27 in “restricted” funds, which must be used for opioid addiction, treatment, and harm reduction purposes. Another $371.028.44 is in “unrestricted” funds, which can be used for non-opioid purposes.
“It is our intention, though, to put all of these funds toward programs dealing with the opioid crisis,” Mayor Terry said.
Last year, city officials allocated more than $645,000 in restricted funds to Youth First, Inc. ($257,500) and Forefront Therapy ($387,642).
“We’re grateful for the exceptional work that Youth First and Forefront Therapy are doing in fighting the opioid epidemic at its roots,” Mayor Terry said. “These funds will allow us to build on their work as we continue moving Evansville forward.”
This year’s funding application was developed by an ad hoc committee of individuals representing Mayor Terry’s office and various constituencies involved in the fight against opioids, including:
- Deputy Mayor Lindsay Locasto
- Communications Director Joe Atkinson
- State Representative Ryan Hatfield
- Superior Court Judge Wayne S. Trockman
- Assistant Evansville Police Chief Nathan Hassler
- LaRissa Madison, MSN-Ed, RN, IBCLC, RLC
- Lisa Seif, LCSW
In crafting the application, the group leaned heavily on the five guiding principles published by Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health to ensure that the funds are used in the most effective way. Those principles also will be at the fore when the committee reviews applications and makes recommendations to Mayor Terry and the Evansville City Council regarding how to allocate the funds.
Any committee members with ties to organizations applying for the funds will be required to remove themselves from the review process.
