Updated December 6, 2022

During their November meeting, the Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission released their new meeting schedule for the first six months of the upcoming 2023 calendar year. The new dates are as follows:

  • Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023
  • ​Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023
  • Tuesday, March 14, 2023
  • Tuesday, April 11, 2023
  • Tuesday, May 9, 2023
  • ​Tuesday, June 13, 2023

Commission meetings will continue to be held at 1 P.M. ET at Capital Complex East, 1024 Capital Center Drive, Suite 200, Frankfort, KY 40601 unless otherwise noted.​ 

The grant application portal is currently open and accepting submissions on a continuous rolling basis. The Commission plans to begin announcing grant awards starting in late Spring 2023.

The final Opioid Abatement Town Hall Meeting is in Louisville on Thursday, December 15 at 6:00 – 8:00 PM ET. View the agenda.

The next Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 13, 2022​ at 1:00 PM ET.

In October, the Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission once again met to discuss the distribution of Kentucky’s portion of the Opioid Abatement settlement funds. Discussions ranged from a number of topics, including the structure for distribution of funds and the grant application process.

According to the Commission, necessary contract information and language is being finalized for the structure for distribution of state funds. All logistical components are being finalized to ensure that funds are distributed in a timely and hitch-free manner once awarded. Following several rounds of revision and circulations to the Commission, the grant application has been finalized and was adopted during the meeting. More information will be shared as logistical processes are finalized.

During the public comments and remarks session, concerns were expressed to the Commission regarding adequate updates and information distribution to local communities regarding the work of the Commission, timelines, and processes. While the Commision is working diligently to share updated information via email blasts, the Commission will be relying heavily on local community organizations to amplify and disseminate information to the public. We will continue to share information with our Bloom Kentucky partners and child advocates across the state.

Following the public comments and remarks at the October meeting, the group broke out into their respective subcommittees. Below is a recap of the Prevention Subcommittee session:

Subcommittee members – CHFS Secretary Eric Friedlander, Von Purdy, and Carlos Cameron

  • What statutory changes are needed to address prevention?
    • A focus on healthcare, specifically more education in addressing the overprescription of opiates, as well as tertiary prevention regarding drug paraphernalia.
    • A focus on school systems including after school program support and school prevention curricula.
  •   Discussion on primary prevention:
    • How early should youth begin primary prevention education?
    • What potential groups could be engaged in primary prevention education efforts?
      • YMCA
      • Boys and Girls Clubs
      • Faith communities
    • What are the underlying concerns?
      • Address the environments in which kids are living and growing up
  • Potential courses of action include engaging a legislative task force for oversight of programs as well as engaging local judges in prevention conversations. 

The next Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 15, 2022​ at 1:00 PM ET. 

Local Town Hall meetings hosted by the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission will be held from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. local time through November. Click here for the Town Hall meeting schedule.

Photo by Gabe Pierce on Unsplash