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Commission for Opioid Settlement Agrees on Initial Recommendations for Grant Process Overhaul


Social Contract, an outside consulting agency, has delivered its recommendations to the Prescription Opioid Settlement Distribution Commission (POSDC) on how to better allocate grant funding to help mitigate Delaware’s opioid epidemic. The commission has distributed just over $10 million of the $70 million awarded to the state. The investigation, prompted by fraudulent activity from a grant recipient in June, has raised concerns about the transparency and effectiveness of the grant distribution process. Social Contract has presented nine recommendations to improve the grant selection and distribution procedures, including conducting a statewide needs assessment every two years, revamping the application and scoring process, and creating a public data dashboard to track funding decisions and outcomes achieved by initiatives.

Head of the review process, Tina Alexander, emphasized the importance of prioritizing input from community voices, particularly those with lived experience, to design a more informed and inclusive strategy. Social Contract also recommended aligning eligibility criteria with other agencies and offering support through third-party managed mini grants to ensure standards are met. The commission has adopted Phase 1 of the three-phase implementation plan, which includes reviewing eligibility criteria and redesigning the grant application process by the end of the year. The subsequent phases will focus on conducting a needs assessment, developing a strategic plan, and launching technical assistance programs and the public dashboard by 2025.

Despite challenges faced during the review process, POSDC plans to hold special meetings before the end of the year to further discuss the recommendations and approve the 2022 and 2023 Annual Reports. The commission’s efforts aim to ensure more transparent and equitable grant distribution to address the evolving needs of communities impacted by the opioid epidemic in Delaware.

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Photo credit www.delawarepublic.org

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