SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve an agreement between Pinellas County and the City of Clearwater to transfer received funds in the amount of $442,000.42 and future funds from the City/County Fund of the Opioid Litigation to be used for purposes approved in the settlement agreement of the Florida Plan and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. (consent)
Body
SUMMARY:
The City of Clearwater filed an action in the National Prescription Opiate Litigation, MDL No. 2804 (N.D. Ohio), also known as the Opioid Litigation, which was consolidated with the lawsuits filed by state, tribal and local government entities. The State of Florida entered into a settle agreement and worked collectively with state, tribal and local government entities to establish a framework of a unified plan for allocation of Opioid funds for approved purposes, referred to as the “Florida Plan.” The Florida Plan created a City/County Fund, and some monetary distributions are sent directly to the municipality. The municipality can only use these funds for approved purposes listed in the Florida Plan, and staff believes these funds are best utilized to support county wide programs that address opioid addiction.
Therefore, staff recommends approval of this agreement so the funds can be provided to Pinellas County to be used to support and expand the hospital bridge program called Pinellas Matters. This program works with local hospitals to help train and engage their staff into a deeper understanding about addiction as a medical condition, as well as place “Peers in Recovery” in the hospital to work directly with patients utilizing the Emergency Department post overdose, or related substance use condition. Patients are screened, prescribed medication, and then linked to treatment providers in the community. This pilot started with Bayfront Hospital with tremendous success. More recently the program expanded to HCA- Northside Hospital with plans to continue partnering with other hospitals in Pinellas County that are interested.
In 2024, Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department responded to 458 suspected overdose cases. There is an average of 30 Opiate related deaths each month in Pinellas County.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
Funding for this agreement is available in special program 181-M2209, Opioid Settlement Funds. The City’s funding for this agreement represents the total of opioid settlement funds received to date and accumulated interest earnings which total $442,000.42 ($431,564.87 in settlement funds and $10,435.55 in interest earnings).
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS: N/A
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
1.4 Foster safe and healthy communities in Clearwater through first-class public safety and emergency response services.