Douglas County details use of 1 Nevada opioid settlement funds; staff highlight programs and 17‑year timeline

Douglas County social services staff on Oct. 1 gave a detailed presentation on the county’s use of 1 Nevada opioid‑settlement funds and program accomplishments supported by the allocation.

Manager Jody Martinez and administrative services manager Sarah Johnson summarized the settlement history and the county’s needs assessment approach. Martinez said Douglas County signed the 1 Nevada agreement on Aug. 5, 2021, and that annual reports are due each Jan. 1. “The approved purposes of the funds are to remediate the harms, impact and risk caused by the opioid epidemic,” Martinez said.

Sarah Johnson outlined recipients and highlights for calendar year 2026, describing efforts to reduce financial and access barriers to treatment, school‑based prevention (Partnership Douglas County), expanded counseling and residential options (Community Counseling Center), domestic‑violence supports (Family Support Council) and suicide‑prevention outreach. She also described a new MOST (Mobile Outreach Support Team) clinical social worker embedded with the sheriff’s office; staff reported the MOST position has handled dozens of calls and made multiple referrals for follow‑up care.

When commissioners asked whether the funds are finite, Martinez said the settlement funds are expected to be available for about 17 years and staff are working with providers to build sustainable programs that can transition if funding ends. The presentation included an invitation for agencies to apply for calendar‑year 2027 funding through the county’s public application process and noted staff will track monthly reporting data from agencies.