Roanoke City to invest millions in opioid relief funding amid rising overdose rates
Roanoke, Virginia – In response to an alarming increase in overdose rates, the City of Roanoke intends to invest millions of dollars in opioid relief funding over the next few years.
The funds, allocated by the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority (VOAA) from recent class-action settlements involving opioid manufacturers and distributors, will be directed towards peer recovery specialists, housing assistance, and training for medical professionals and emergency responders.
The City Council has approved a five-year funding plan, and officials hope to secure an additional 25% in funding by adhering to a set of “gold standards” outlined in Virginia state code. This supplementary funding is particularly crucial for Roanoke, as fatal drug overdoses doubled during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching a record high last year with 122 deaths – 105 of which were opioid-related.
Given the nature of the settlement funds, the implementation of VOAA gold standard requirements is deemed essential. VOAA’s gold standards stipulate that some funds be allocated to housing and other support services, in addition to partnering with existing outreach organizations. The City of Roanoke has already formed partnerships with several such organizations, including the Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition (VHRC) and the Roanoke Valley Collective Response.
The five-year funding plan includes allocating $3.7 million for staffing the Collective Response, $150,000 for recovery housing, $485,000 for training after-school staff and families on addressing childhood trauma, $854,000 for certified peer recovery specialists, and $144,000 for equipment to identify dangerous substances like fentanyl and xylazine. The latter is a non-opioid tranquilizer used on animals, which has recently emerged as a significant threat to drug users in Roanoke.
While some opioid class-action lawsuits remain ongoing, future settlements could lead to further increases in funding. Roanoke’s City Manager, Bob Cowell, stated that the city will receive settlement money over the next 17 years, with annual updates on fund expenditure provided to the City Council.
