Burke seeking opioid treatment providers

Numerous organizations offer assistance to those struggling with substance addiction in Burke. The county wants to use its opioid lawsuit settlement money to put those groups to work.

Burke has released the request for qualifications (RFQ) for substance use providers. The RFQ process will remain open until July 11 at 2 p.m.

Between 2022 and 2038, the county will receive more than $27 million as part of the national opioid lawsuit settlement (see related story).

A memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the N.C. Department of Justice and the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners outlines the way counties and municipalities can spend their settlement money.

The MOA lists two options, A and B, and specifies a list of 12 acceptable expenditures under Option A.

These are considered short- and mid-range strategies and include collaborative strategic planning, evidence-based addiction treatment, recovery support services, recovery housing support, employment-related services, early intervention, naloxone distribution, post-overdose response team, syringe service program, criminal justice diversion programs, addiction treatment for incarcerated persons, and reentry programs.

Burke is seeking Option A providers, Opioid Settlement Coordinator Dr. Katie Samuels said Tuesday afternoon following the inaugural meeting of the newly formed Burke Opioid Advisory Committee.

“We're looking for proposals that fit under Option A of the North Carolina memorandum of agreement,” Samuels said. “And those are things that we can fund right away with the commissioners’ approval. So, we want to hear from community provider organizations or organizations that implement services under that list of strategies.”

Samuels added the RFQ is open to organizations that are already established as well as to those who want to begin a new program under the umbrella of the settlement agreement.

“We want to build capacity for organizations that are already doing this work, or if an organization wants to start a program under one of those strategies, then we can go ahead and get it launched,” she said. “We'll take the proposals that we receive and review them with this opioid council, and then from there, they'll make recommendations to the board of commissioners to fund these projects.”

According to the RFQ, funding will be provided to projects that “Expand or sustain evidence-based treatment programs, launch new services to fill identified gaps, build a more comprehensive recovery ecosystem, prevent the onset of new substance use, and reduce fatal overdoses within Burke County.”

This initial opportunity is part of a broader, multiyear investment plan, and additional funding cycles will be released in the future.

The RFQ is available online at this link: www.burkenc.org/bids.aspx?bidID=120.