Committee forwards $400,000 opioid-settlement transfer and companion amendment to continue sheriff’s MAT pilot

The committee moved ordinances 20 26 2 76 and 20 26 2 77 to council to transfer $400,000 from the National Opioid Settlement Special Fund and to execute a second amendment to continue the Richmond City Sheriff’s Office medication-assisted treatment (MAT/MOUD) pilot program.

Anna Jones, opioid response strategist for Neighborhood and Community Services, said the sheriff’s program has served 176 individuals to date and noted that overdose risk increases after release from incarceration; she said medications for opioid use disorder such as methadone and buprenorphine reduce that risk. The proposed amendments increase clinical capacity from one to two registered nurses to expand dosing and discharge planning and add harm-reduction materials on discharge. The committee held a public hearing with no speakers and voted to forward both companion ordinances to council with a recommendation to approve.