State to use $17.5 million in ARPA funds for opioid abatement; counties await guidance on settlement dollars

Moderator summarized developments for Iowa counties on opioid settlement and related state actions. She said a bill that would have created an additional state reporting requirement did not pass, and "the state is still going to invest 17 and a half million, of ARPA funds towards opioid settlement or opioid abatement." She added that, because statute requires legislative approval, the state cannot spend its share of the settlement dollars until the legislature acts.

The meeting focused on what that means for counties. The Moderator told participants the failed bill "does not impact what counties are doing at all" and that counties should continue their local planning. She noted one practical distinction: funds associated with bankruptcy settlements (the transcript referred to these as 'no-at' items) require a separate report if a county spends them for non-opioid-abatement purposes, and that administrative uses may also trigger that reporting requirement. She advised counties to consult Brown Greer, the settlement administrator, for specifics on reporting and allocation timing.

Participants asked about the source of the $17.5 million and the Moderator confirmed it comes from the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds, not the state's settlement dollars. The Moderator said she would circulate the governor's press release announcing the ARPA investments and add it to the call follow-up so counties can track state activity and avoid duplicating efforts.

Resources and technical assistance were also highlighted. The Moderator relayed an email from the Opioid Solutions Center noting updated resources and "strategy briefs"—short white papers on program design—reporting that about 11 briefs are currently available, including one on services for people with co-occurring disorders.

The call included a request for practical peer-learning: the Iowa County Magazine plans a July issue on opioid settlement strategies and is seeking one or two counties to write an ~800-word article (deadline around June 14) describing committee formation, early programs, or lessons learned. Jennifer Barnes identified herself during the call and said she could not volunteer because her county had not established a committee yet but suggested contacting Polk, Clinton and Scott counties as likely contributors.

On legal and financial process questions, the Moderator said she would follow up with outside counsel (Aaron Dickinson) and with Erin Dickinson to learn how other states are handling securitization and whether there are new national developments. She also said she would ask Brown Greer again for expected settlement distribution figures, noting that allocation timing varies across settlements and that some early payments can be structured to cover multiple years.

The group discussed meeting frequency; the Moderator proposed a summer break or switching to every-other-month meetings and suggested scheduling the next call in August or September, with the option to convene earlier if state actions require it. She closed by promising a follow-up email with the recording, the governor's press release, NACo updates to the opioid settlement page, and any information she receives from Brown Greer and outside counsel.