NACo's Opioid Solutions Center empowers local leaders to invest resources in effective treatment, recovery, prevention and harm reduction practices that save lives and address the underlying causes of substance use disorder.

Counties are on the frontline of the opioid epidemic, providing public services that save lives and support recovery. Our 911 call centers and county-run crisis lines are the first to receive calls for help when an overdose happens. Our first responders, and increasingly mental health clinicians, are the first to arrive on the scene to stabilize the crisis and offer support. Our local crisis triage centers serve as safe places before, during and after a behavioral health crisis to access services, treatment and immediate and ongoing care.

New funding from opioid settlements presents an opportunity for counties to sustain and strengthen our response to the ongoing opioid epidemic. To help counties maximize the impact of this unique funding stream, NACo is developing custom planning, implementation and peer learning resources through the Opioid Solutions Center.

The Opioid Solutions Center is home to featured resources, such as:

• Planning Principles Toolkit: a toolkit with guidance on planning, allocating and managing opioid litigation funds.  
• Approved Strategies: a series of short-form briefs presenting key information about effective substance use prevention, treatment, recovery and harm reduction approaches that are approved uses of the settlement funds.
• Technical Assistance: Direct links to technical assistance and other funding and training opportunities to support local implementation of approved strategies.
• County Examples: a series of case studies and examples describing how states and counties have leveraged their opioid settlement funds to stand up programs and practices that work.