Opioid Settlement Distribution Advisory Board
Mission
Increase opportunities for everyone to live their healthiest life and reach their full human potential by investing in evidence-based solutions for substance use prevention and addressing the needs of people who experience the greatest barriers to accessing harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services.
The 2023-2025 Advisory Board shall consist of the following voting members:
- Connie Mendel, the city’s Interim Chief Health Strategist, who shall act as chair;
- Dr. Inder Singal, the city’s Interim Medical Director, who shall act as co-chair;
- Nicole George, Deputy Mayor of Public Health and Services;
- Philip Baker, Metro Council District 6, representing Louisville Metro Council;
- Mariya Leyderman, licensed clinical forensic psychologist and executive administrator-chief psychologist at the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections, representing the behavioral health community;
- Lee Zimmerman, CEO of KidzClub, uniquely focused on the needs of children, youth, and families;
- Adria Johnson, president and CEO of Metro United Way, uniquely focused on building community resilience and addressing the root causes of substance use;
- Mariana Barzun, executive director, Mayor’s Office of Philanthropy
- Barry Allen, president and treasurer of the Gheens Foundation, representing the philanthropy community.
On October 30, 2023, the Advisory Board announced a Request for Applications for the second round of funding which is $5.3 million.
- Request for Application can be found here.
- Extended deadline to submit applications: 3 p.m., December 4, 2023
- Guiding principles
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- Spend money to save lives
- Invest in youth prevention
- Focus on racial equity
- Use evidence to guide spending
- Develop a transparent, inclusive decision-making process
- Activities
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- Develop a fair and transparent process for deciding where to spend the funding
- Develop priorities and goals for spending on projects and programs
- Provide recommendations to Louisville Metro Government decision makers on how to best use dollars from the opioid settlements
- Report on project and programs related to addressing the opioid epidemic
- Create and maintain a website on which it shall publish its minutes, attendance rolls, funding awards, and reports of funding by recipients
- Membership
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Modeled after Chapter 113 of KRS, an act relating to the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, the Louisville Metro Opioid Settlement Distribution Advisory Board will have expertise in issues related to substance use to help create an informed process that ensures dollars from the litigation are going toward identified areas of need. The board will represent the diverse needs, strengths, and experiences of community members will help address health disparities.
The board is appointed by the mayor. Members of the board shall serve an initial term of two (2) years, concurrent with holding their respective office or position.
Members of the board shall not receive compensation for their services but may be reimbursed for necessary travel and expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
- Funding awards
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The board shall recommend award moneys from the opioid settlements according to the following criteria related to opioid use disorder (OUD) or any co-occurring substance use disorder or mental health (SUD/MH) issues:
- Amounts deposited shall be used only for the purposes described.
- Notwithstanding KRS 45.229, money in the fund not expended at the close of a fiscal year shall not lapse but shall be carried forward into the next fiscal year.
- Any interest earnings of the fund shall become a part of the fund and shall not lapse.
- Money in the fund shall be distributed no less than annually.
- The board shall continue to make distributions from the fund as long as defendants in the opioid litigation make payments or until the time that the money in the fund is exhausted.
- Public Transparency
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The board should be as transparent as possible in all its activities. Achieving this includes:
- Having regular meetings that are open to the public, with meeting dates published well in advance and digital modes of participation, if possible.
- Publishing meeting materials, including agendas and meeting minutes, either in print or online.
- Members recusing themselves from any votes or discussions of topics in which they may have financial, ethical, or other conflicts of interest.
- If you have any questions or comments, please contact us.
2023 Advisory Board meeting materials
