GOSAC and RAC Members Approved
In December 2023, Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) Commissioner Kevin Tanner requested ACCG’s assistance in helping to establish the governance structure for the Georgia Opioid Settlement Program. Specifically, he asked ACCG to develop and oversee a process to identify and facilitate the election of three members of the Georgia Opioid Settlement Advisory Commission (GOSAC) representing local interests and six Regional Advisory Councils (RACs). These nominees were to be voted upon by Participating Local Governments (as defined in the Settlement Document between the State of Georgia and Local Governments: Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Concerning National Distributor and Johnson & Johnson Opioid Settlements).
The three GOSAC members were required to have a background in opioid use disorder, addiction treatment or policy, public health policy, mental health treatment or policy, or opioid related law enforcement. ACCG followed the structure for the composition of the RACs, as suggested by DBHDD, which included seven individuals – three mandatory seats as defined by the MOU and four recommended seats representing other opioid-related stakeholders.
ACCG developed a plan to work with professional organizations, including the Georgia Municipal Association, the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association, the Georgia Association of Community Service Boards, the Georgia Council for Recovery and the Opioid Treatment Providers of Georgia to identify qualified nominees for the GOSAC and RACs. In addition, ACCG confirmed contacts for the 281 Participating Local Governments and solicited voting delegates to participate in the GOSAC and RAC approval process.
Between March 20 – 27, 2024, ACCG coordinated a series of six regional meetings to present the GOSAC and regional RAC nominees. In every region, the GOSAC and RAC nominees were approved unanimously.
Georgia Opioid Settlement Advisory Commission Members
Regional Advisory Council Members – Region 1
Regional Advisory Council Members – Region 2
Regional Advisory Council Members – Region 3
Regional Advisory Council Members – Region 4
Regional Advisory Council Members – Region 5
Regional Advisory Council Members – Region 6
Georgia Opioid Trust Settlement Portal and First Round of Grant Funding
DBHDD recently opened the Georgia Opioid Trust Grant Portal. To get to the portal, click here: https://www.gaopioidtrust.org/ and go to the For Applicants tab at the top.
The Applicants tab includes the Notice of Funding Opportunity, the Scoring Rubric, the Georgia Opioid Resource Toolkit and the Risk Assessment Instructions (the Risk Assessment Instructions are only applicable for grants over $500,000).
Grant applications are due by May 17, 2024 for this first round of funding. Selected projects will be notified in September 2024 and funded projects are expected to begin in December 2024. It also states that DBHDD intends to announce grants on an annual basis, contingent upon the availability of funds within the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust.
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