Management of Boulder County Region Opioid Settlement Dollars

Hiya! My name is Kelly, and I’ve been a program manager for Boulder County Community Services for nearly six years. I moved to Colorado during the pandemic after living in Seattle for about twelve years, and now I call Gold Hill home, a small historic district tucked in the foothills west of Boulder. When I’m not working, you can usually find me up there enjoying mountain life with my adorable little girl.

During our planning process for the Opioid Abatement effort, our Advisory Group spent a lot of time determining where to invest funding. We had all the tools you’d expect: data on local need, input from experts across the SUD care continuum, and a landscape scan of services. But what struck me most were the personal recovery stories we shared along the way…the moments of tragedy, loss, growth, and resilience that define each individual’s journey. It was a reminder that while data is valuable, it only takes us so far. Real-life experiences, the challenges of finding culturally and linguistically resonant care, or seeking help without fear and stigma, are what truly guide this work. There’s no blueprint here, so the most important thing is to keep listening.

I try to carry that same mindset into everything I do: don’t get too attached to an approach. Being overly sure just leads to defensiveness or rigidity. I’d rather stay open to being wrong—because I will be!—and keep listening, growing, and learning along the way.

Friends would probably describe me as verbose (“get to the point already!”), loyal (perhaps to a fault), and often the comic relief. I’m also notorious for completely mangling idioms in conversation—something about a square peg, a proof of concept, or maybe building the plane while it’s in the water? Who knows.

And finally, something that always gets me in the feels: when cars pull aside to let an ambulance pass. As a kid, I didn’t realize that was the law; I thought it was just this beautiful, unspoken agreement among people to do their part to help someone in need. Even now, it reminds me that small moments of community and kindness are everywhere if you’re paying attention.

My name is Tucker Eurman, I use he/him pronouns. I support the planning and distribution side of Boulder County’s opioid settlement funds. I joined Boulder County at the beginning of 2022 to support the development of the Boulder County Behavioral Health Roadmap, which also included supporting the first distribution of opioid settlement funds. I fully moved to the opioid settlement project mid-2023.

Prior to coming to work for the County, I spent nearly 15 years working in animal welfare, specializing in behavior, training, and enrichment for dogs living in animal shelters for the national non-profit Dogs Playing for Life. I rehabilitated dog-fighting dogs and shelter dogs at-risk for euthanasia for behavioral concerns (Meet Hansel, the first arson detection pitbull in the U.S.!), supported a Los Angeles prison program where incarcerated individuals trained shelter dogs for veterans, and did videography and photography all in between, including having my film about our programming in a film festival in New York City! While I am very proud of the work I did in the animal welfare world, I struggled with my own emotional distress, managed through drug and alcohol use. I decided to leave the animal world in 2022 as I explored my own recovery journey.

I am passionate about transforming systems for the better, to be more transparent, equitable, and community led. I aim to disrupt the status quo of systems that have historically marginalized, exploited, excluded, and oppressed community members. Personally, I never want to stop learning and growing; any outcome is a learning opportunity and “no’s” are merely potholes in the road to navigate around towards the ultimate goal. I recognize the privilege that I’ve been afforded in life and using my skills and experience to help elevate the voices of those that have been systemically silenced shapes how I approach my daily work. Lastly, while our work is serious and the impact opioids have had on our community is even more-so, I try to bring levity and fun to work wherever I can.

Outside of work you’ll find me with my partner, Sam, and three dogs outdoors somewhere, hiking, long-distance running, backpacking, fishing, doing yoga, or just sitting and taking in nature. We’re currently renovating a 125-year-old farmhouse we’ve dubbed the POS (Piece of Sunshine). I’m a big-time fermentation tinkerer – sourdough, kombucha, ginger beer, you name it! We also travel internationally as often as possible, immersing ourselves in other communities and cultures.

Hi there. I’m Emily McCluskey, Grants Specialist for Community Services Fiscal. I play a role, very behind the scenes, with a little bit of moving around the numbers. Thank you for the invitation to let you get to know me with something more personal than “Who’s your daddy!”

Over the past 30+ years I have been in close relationship with many people who have gotten sober, and of course, some who haven’t. Even in sobriety, I have been along for the roller coaster ride of addiction to phones, work, etc., but without drugs and alcohol involved, it doesn’t feel like we are zooming down the highway and chucking the steering wheel out the window. It needs daily attention. Supporting people in recovery, whether vocation or avocation, is paramount. I was very heartened by the gathering back in February when each funded program introduced themselves and flung open the doors to collaborating. I especially appreciated that no one program claimed to have the answer, and instead all shared the ways in which they provide a variety of different entry points and types of support. Humans are diverse and having such varied options for us to access community and recovery gives me so much hope.

I cringe at myself for wanting to offer up such a simple metaphor for our work… my garden, but it is where this geeky heart goes. When I moved into my house 6 years ago, the backyard was a water-logged stretch of lumpy bluegrass. Not my thing. I tore into it, bit by bit, and had lots of ugly times and failed experiments. I experienced many moments of despair when I thought I really messed up this perfectly fine yard. What is my problem? This spring I got rid of the last patch of grass, and it is really filling in and getting personal. I did this. I planted Agastache and the hummingbirds showed up the very day they started blooming. I did this. When I walk out into the salvia and flax, so many bees are busy partying. I did this. I beefed up the feast for the Rolly Pollies and other detritivores always working away at cleaning up and improving the soil. OK, they were fine without me. The beauty of my garden is in its multiplicity. It provides a structure for me to stay curious, gamble, play it safe, reach out for help, trade with neighbors, push boundaries, dance with time, and revere elements beyond my control. The metaphorical connections to my garden are a million-fold. What I realize, as I wrap this up waaaay past the deadline, is that my garden is teaching me to notice little victories. There are always tasks on the to do list and changing seasons ahead, but somehow it helps me realize that my actions led to the gift of this moment.

I am so grateful that we all keep hoping, caring, and acting. May you notice a hundred of your little accomplishments today.

My name is Jordan, my pronouns are she/her, and September is my two-year anniversary with the County as the Opioid Contract Administrator! My work with this team has been so powerful and I hope that our community is able to see the positive impacts of these funds. Prior to this role I worked in children’s residential mental health and provided case management to adults with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness. I feel strongly about whole body health and destigmatizing mental health and substances use disorders. I hope as the Opioid funds continue to get out into the community that we can also see the social context shift to a less stigmatized view of people with opioid/substance use disorder. I hope that we can continue to fund and build programs that not only treat those seeking help as whole humans but also offer a full continuum of culturally relevant and equity centered support from the moment a person decides to seek help to long into their sobriety journey.

Outside of work you will find me outdoors! I enjoy anything from attending concerts or festivals, camping, hiking, kayaking, and gardening. My 4-year-old pit bull mix, Atlas, is my adventure partner and comes with me almost everywhere! Some of our favorite local parks are Chautauqua and Golden Gate Canyon. If I’m not in the forest then I’m probably reading, painting, doing macrame, or exploring a museum.

• Dec. 13, 2022 Boulder County Regional Opioid Council
• Oct. 21, 2022 Boulder County Regional Opioid Council
• Oct. 21, 2022 Presentation
• Sept. 22, 2022 Boulder County Regional Opioid Council
• Sept. 22, 2022 Presentation