Commission hears plan for opioid-abatement evaluation services and several contract items

Sedgwick County staff and coalition representatives outlined next steps for managing opioid-abatement funds and reviewed several contract items on the bid board.

Rusty, speaking about the coalition's first RFP, said the procurement is intended to solicit a vendor to provide monitoring, evaluation, coaching and contract management for entities that receive opioid settlement funds. "This group will help make sure that we have good performance metrics in place, that we have good tracking mechanisms in place, the right forms for these folks to complete and fill out on a quarterly basis," Rusty said, and added that the group will collect data, analyze it and report back to the coalition.

The commission also received contract updates: a contract extension with New Hope Therapy Services (details in backup), a single-source ArcGIS product-maintenance contract, and a one-year extension for Jim Davenport (Thorn Runner) at the same price after his contract expired in early January.

Why it matters: Proper performance monitoring for opioid settlement spending can affect whether program dollars reach intended treatment and recovery populations. Commissioners were told county and city staff will administer meetings and handle contract management while the coalition oversees performance oversight.

Next steps: Staff said they will finalize the RFP and solicit proposals in the near future. The Davenport extension was described as a one-year extension through the end of 2026 and will be brought back to the commission in September for future consideration; no additional policy action was taken at the meeting.