Boulder County Opioid Settlement

Boulder County Region Opioid Settlement Dollars

The Boulder County Region envisions a future in which the community’s quality of life is increased, the number of deaths by overdose is decreased, and a full spectrum of culturally responsive substance use/misuse services are available without stigma.

2025-2028 Opioid Abatement Plan

Between January and May 2024, the Ops Board developed an abatement plan (seen below) which identifies a regional vision, long-term community outcomes, short-term goals, and the individual strategies necessary to abate the harms caused by the opioid epidemic including priority populations and geographic focuses. The abatement plan was approved by the BCROC on June 21, 2024.

Long-term Results (4-6 years)

  • A reduction in drug-related deaths
  • Fewer substance-related overdoses
  • Fewer youth reporting substance use and/or a later onset of substance use
  • An increase in culturally representative, non-Western model services
  • An increase in services offered in languages other than English
  • More community members accessing services across the continuum

Short-term Goal Areas (2-4 years) and Strategic Approaches

See below:

The dangers of opioids and fentanyl are understood, use of opioids and other substances is reduced or delayed, and the amount and frequency of use is reduced (Youth, unhoused individuals, and older adults identified as priority populations).

  • Develop and strategically distribute substance use and opioid prevention education resources, including, but not limited to, the dangers of illicit fentanyl, with an emphasis on and messaging tailored to priority populations.
  • Increase availability and access to programs with a demonstrated effectiveness of preventing the uptake, use, and misuse of substances and opioids with a specific focus on priority populations.

Resources and approaches to prevent and respond to overdose are accessible (People who use drugs (PWUD), Loved ones and family members of PWUD, and the Broader community identified as priority populations).

  • Develop and disseminate training about overdose prevention and response such as the administration of overdose reversal drugs and contextual education including, but not limited to, good Samaritan laws with an emphasis on and messaging tailored to priority populations.
  • Develop and disseminate training about overdose prevention and response such as the administration of overdose reversal drugs and contextual education including, but not limited to, good Samaritan laws with an emphasis on and messaging tailored to first responders, medical professionals, school staff, and other frontline professionals.

Harm reduction services are easily accessible so that substance use occurs under safer conditions and the spread of communicable diseases is reduced (People who use drugs (PWUD), Loved ones and family members of PWUD, People who serve PWUD, and Bystanders identified as priority populations).

  • Provide training in harm reduction strategies to priority populations and health care providers, students, peer support professionals, treatment and recovery professionals, and those who provide care to people who use drugs.
  • Increase capacity of and access to peer support services, case management, resource navigation, and other efforts to increase connection to care for harm reduction program recipients.
  • Increase access to and support the distribution of harm reduction supplies and services including syringe exchange, fentanyl test strips, and testing controlled substances or analogs for potentially dangerous adulterants.
  • Increase the availability and access to naloxone, with a specific focus on priority populations.

Recommended levels of opioid use disorder treatment, and co-occurring substance use disorder and mental health treatments are available, culturally and linguistically responsive, timely, affordable, and offered in varying modalities (People who use drugs, People with co-occurring SU & MH conditions, Mountain region identified as priority populations).

  • Increase capacity and access to treatment services for people who use opioids, or individuals with opioid use disorder and any co-occurring substance use disorder or mental health conditions with a focus on priority populations.
  • Support stigma reduction efforts and support for people who use opioids, or individuals with opioid use disorder and any co-occurring substance use disorder or mental health conditions, including, but not limited to, reducing the stigma on effective treatment.
  • Increase capacity of and access to peer support services, case management, resource navigation, and other efforts to increase connection to care for substance use treatment program recipients.
  • Increase comprehensive wrap-around services to people who use opioids, or individuals with opioid use disorder and any co-occurring substance use disorder or mental health conditions, including, but not limited to, housing, transportation, education, job placement, job training, or childcare.

Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) is available without barriers including ability to pay, geographic location, and justice system involvement (People who use drugs, People with co-occurring SU & MH conditions, Mountain region identified as priority populations).

  • Increase availability of MAT for people who use opioids, or individuals with opioid use disorder and any co-occurring substance use disorder or mental health conditions with a focus on priority populations.
  • Increase availability of MAT and treatment for people who use opioids, or individuals with opioid use disorder and any co-occurring substance use disorder or mental health conditions for the justice involved and incarcerated population.

Support is available and accessible for individuals in recovery from substance use and related mental health conditions, and those in their lives, in order to improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential (People who use drugs, Unhoused individuals, and Youth identified as priority populations).

  • Increase the number and capacity of high‐quality evidence-based recovery programs, including culturally responsive and linguistically appropriate recovery services.
  • Increase the capacity of and access to peer support services, case management, resource navigation, and other efforts to increase connection to care for individuals in recovery from opioid use disorder and any related co-occurring substance use disorder or mental health conditions with a focus on priority populations.
  • Increase comprehensive wrap-around services to individuals in recovery from opioid use disorder and any related co-occurring substance use disorder or mental health conditions with a focus on priority populations, including, but not limited to, housing, transportation, education, job placement, job training, or childcare.
  • Increase availability and access to housing for individuals in recovery from opioid use disorder and any related co-occurring substance use disorder or mental health conditions with a focus on priority populations including, but not limited to, supportive housing, recovery housing, sober living, training for housing providers, or recovery housing programs that allow or integrate FDA‐approved medication with other support services.

2024 Opioid-Related Local Data

Qualitative data was assembled from the County’s 2022-2023 Behavioral Health Roadmap convenings as well as the landscape analysis completed by the Opioid Operations Board in May 2022.

Quantitative data was pulled from a variety of sources with the intention to illustrate the general impact of opioids in the community, specifically highlighting alignment with the qualitative data, and access and equity concerns experienced by the community.

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