The county Legislature voted on Monday, Feb. 24 for Nassau to establish an opioid portal to streamline the distribution of opioid settlement funds.
The portal will allow local organizations to apply for opioid settlement funds that can go towards education, intervention, recovery services, and assistance pertaining to substance use.
The county has awarded more than $36 million of its opioid settlement funds so far, which county Department of Human Services Commissioner Jill D. Nevin said has been done in phases.
The first phase involved distributing grants to existing vendors. Phase two involved requests for expressions of interest. Phase three involved a prevention media campaign. Phase four involved awards for county departments, courts, and an opioid portal consultant.
Phase five is set to kick off with the establishment of the opioid portal, Nevin said.
During phase one, Nevin said, the county awarded $9,920,000 to multiple organizations. These included the Hispanic Counseling Center in Hempstead, the Charles Evans Center in Glen Cove, the YES Community Counseling Center in Massapequa and Levittown, and the Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow.
All of the organizations were awarded funds through their existing contracts with the county.
Another $18,699,574 was awarded during phase two.
This phase’s distribution of funds was awarded to multiple organizations, including but limited to the YES Community Counseling Center for school and community-based prevention, Central Nassau Guidance and Counseling for its upcoming crisis stabilization center, Catholic Health Services for its patient navigator program in the court system to provide services for those in need, and the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence for compassion fatigue training for first responders.
Phase three’s media campaign included awarding $1.8 million to the Ed Moore Advertising Agency. Nevin said the company was selected from five bids.
Phase four totaled another $5.6 million. County agencies that received funds included the medical examiner’s office, the Department of Health, the Nassau County Family Treatment Court, and Nassau University Medical Center.
These funds supported various programs, such as the Department of Health’s wastewater testing.
Phase four also included a $1 million contract with Hagerty Consulting to establish the county’s opioid portal.
While the $36 million has been awarded through these contracts, the total amount has not actually been spent. Nevin said it will take four years to spend the total $36 million.
The county has received about $95 million in opioid settlement funds. Of that amount, $45 million has been allocated, including the $36 million from these phases.
But just about $4.8 million of opioid funds has actually been claimed and reimbursed through these contracts.
