Madison County’s commitment to transparency and community involvement is evident in the detailed process they’ve developed for evaluating grant applications. With the help of Courtney Collier, the West Tennessee substance use response consultant from the UT SMART Initiative, the committee has established an application process and scoring rubric to ensure clarity for both the committee and applicants. Collier’s expertise and experience with the recovery population helped the committee navigate the specific requirements tied to opioid settlement funds, as well as develop tools to assess the impact of proposed projects.
“Courtney has been amazing—he made the process simple for us,” Smith said. “We had different ideas on how to spend the funds, but the settlement rules are specific. I don’t think we could have put it together so quickly without him.”
Smith’s advice to other counties is straightforward: “Set your priorities. Create a clear process that the committee and the public can navigate, so that when you have grant applicants, they know what to ask for and how to ask.” By establishing clear guidelines and priorities, Madison County has created a pathway for other counties to follow in their funding processes.
Allocating Resources to Meet Community Needs
The opioid crisis – rather, the substance use disorder crisis, as so many drugs beyond opioids define the problem – is so huge, covers so many aspects of our lives and impacts so many people that it’s difficult to know where to begin. One person should not be the sole decision maker with these funds, lest there be a blind spot that is missed. At least that is what Madison County Mayor AJ Massey reasoned when he established the Madison County Opioid Abatement Committee.
Envisioning a transparent and inclusive process, the committee is chaired by Sheriff Julian Wiser, with Deputy Mayor Terica Smith serving as vice chair. Other members include representatives from local government, healthcare, the criminal justice system and community leaders. Together, this diverse group ensures that the funds are spent in a way that best serves Madison County.
According to Smith, the committee’s mission is to give all interested community stakeholders a voice. “We wanted an open, fair process, where any interested parties with an idea of how to spend this money could come forward and be heard,” she said. With applications open to organizations engaged in prevention, treatment, recovery support, harm reduction, and other related services, the committee’s model encourages a range of solutions.
Building a Sustainable, Transparent, Community-Driven Model
In its first round of funding, the committee voted to appropriate $883,815 out of the county’s total $1,104,769. They chose to withhold 20% of the funds to ensure sustainability, recognizing that the settlement payouts will fluctuate over time and eventually end. The committee wanted to avoid a situation wherein an effective program abruptly loses funding midway through implementation, all due to the uncertain nature of these settlements, some of which involve bankruptcy negotiations. This fiscally conservative approach aligns with national guidelines on managing settlement funds responsibly.
After receiving 17 applications from community organizations, proposing programs to address recovery housing, treatment expansion, community prevention and education, and more, the committee faces a challenge that many other counties can relate to: the sheer number of worthy projects. “There are so many great service providers with wonderful ideas, but there’s not enough money to go around,” Smith said. “Figuring out what’s going to have the greatest impact has been a challenge.”
Madison County’s priority needs include increasing capacity in recovery houses and treatment facilities, a pressing issue that many grant applicants are trying to address. “The biggest need we’ve identified is the lack of stable, affordable housing for individuals in recovery,” Smith said. “The road to recovery requires stability, and without safe housing, individuals are at higher risk of relapse and recidivism.”
Smith’s background as an attorney working to house indigent clients has fueled her passion for this issue. She explains that for people in recovery, navigating multiple support systems—sometimes with limited education or resources—can be overwhelming. “I’ve seen mothers with children removed due to substance use issues, trying to navigate criminal and juvenile court systems, work through inpatient treatment, and rebuild their lives. The barriers can be enormous,” she added.
In that same vein, one of the unique aspects of Madison County’s community is its focus on family-centered recovery. Smith highlights that many of the services that the county could potentially support with the settlement funding could provide services to parents—both mothers and fathers—working to regain custody of their children. This holistic approach recognizes the challenges faced by parents in recovery and seeks to provide support systems that keep families together whenever possible. “It’s not just mothers who lose custody; fathers can, too. Some centers in our area focus on helping men rebuild their lives so they can be involved in their children’s lives again,” Smith said.
Looking Ahead
As the Madison County Opioid Abatement Committee prepares to make its first round of grant awards, there is optimism about the impact these projects will have on the community. Massey’s vision for using these funds to support youth and families is reflected by the committee’s focus on ensuring that projects address immediate needs while also building sustainable support systems.
“We need to take a multifaceted approach to help remediate this issue,” Smith said. From housing and treatment to family reunification and child support, there are a lot of factors to consider.
Madison County’s efforts demonstrate that when communities work together, they can maximize the impact of opioid settlement funds to create meaningful change. By adopting a community grant model, the county is ensuring that the organizations on the front line of the crisis have a chance to get heard, and potentially get funding to expand their services. In the face of a challenge as complex as the substance use disorder crisis, Madison County’s work is a testament to the power of collaboration, transparency and sustainability.
