Cobb government to allocate $5.787M in opioid settlement

The Cobb Board of Commissioners last week approved the first allocation of funds from the National Opioid Settlement, and will be distributing nearly $6 million to a variety of community organizations.

The board voted 5-0 to allocate $5.787 million in funds, that, according to an agenda item from last Tuesday’s meeting, “are restricted and must be used exclusively for opioid remediation purposes as defined by the settlement agreements and applicable state guidance.”

In 2024 Cobb approved a resolution establishing the Cobb County Opioid Abatement Advisory Council that recommended a comprehensive abatement strategy to assist those with opioid addictions.

The Opioid Abatement Settlement Fund includes more than $50 billion in legal settlements from 2021-26 with opioid manufacturers, distributors and pharmacy chains, with the funding earmarked to treat addiction and to assist recovery and prevention efforts.

Cobb’s funding comes directly from the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust, which was established as a subsidiary in 2022 to distribute and manage funding throughout the state for an 18-year period.

In the 2026-29 funding cycle, the following organizations will be receiving grants in the indicated amounts in Cobb County:

• Center for Young Adult Addiction & Recovery, Kennesaw State University – $98,721
• Cobb Collaborative – $57,394
• Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, Cobb County Jail – $174,720
• Cobb County Superior Courts – $1,258,500
• Davis Direction Foundation – $1,609,841
• Harbor Springs Counseling Services – $1,648,942
• Highland Rivers Foundation – $500,000
• Life University, Inc. – $26,820
• WestCare Georgia, Inc. – $87,855
• YouthCentric, Inc. – $324,820

The agenda item states that “these projects collectively address multiple settlement-approved categories including prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support. Proposed activities include medication-assisted treatment for indigent individuals, residential treatment expansion for mothers, peer recovery coaching, sober living scholarships, jail discharge planning, youth prevention programming, naloxone and fentanyl test strip distribution, and community resiliency initiatives.”

The third-largest recipient, Cobb County Superior Courts, announced later last week that it plans to use the funding to expand the Cobb Accountability Courts, which “serve individuals charged with felonies who are diagnosed with moderate to severe substance use disorders, including participants with co-occurring mental health conditions.”

The courts will “utilize a plan that integrates multiple layers of intervention. Treatment services include opioid withdrawal management, access to medication for addiction treatment (MAT/MOUD) through partnerships with a local physician and pharmacy, and up to ten hours per week of evidence-based group and individual counseling,” according to a release issued by Cobb Superior Court.

The programs also plan to expand recovery support to address housing instability, which the court calls “one of the greatest barriers to sustained recovery.

“Through partnerships with five sober living programs in Cobb County, eligible participants may receive up to 90 days of safe, structured, and sober housing while working toward financial independence. Stable housing has been shown to significantly strengthen engagement in treatment and improve long-term outcomes.”

“The Accountability Courts stand at the critical intersection of the justice system, public safety, and rehabilitation of individuals in crisis,” said Ann Harris, Chief Judge of Superior Court. “By using these settlement funds to expand treatment and provide stable housing, we are actively working to break the cycle of addiction, reduce recidivism, and make our entire community safer.”

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