• By Denise Price
• Posted Friday, February 24, 2023

Request for Applications for Behavorial Health and Opioid Settlement Funding

Forsyth County is requesting applications for behavioral health funds and opioid settlement funds from organizations and programs that will serve the mental health, substance use, and developmental disability needs of children and adults for fiscal year 2023-2024 beginning July 1, 2023. An application is required to be completed and submitted for consideration for each funding source. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. on Feb. 27, 2023.

Applications shall be submitted electronically through the designated portal at https://portal.neighborlysoftware.com/FORSYTHCOUNTYNC/participant.

Funding is approved by the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners during the annual budget process. For questions, please call Densie Price, Behavioral Health Services Director, at 336-703-2781.

Opioid Settlement General Description

As part of the Opioid Settlement, Forsyth County will receive more than $20 million over an 18-year period. A Memorandum of Agreement between the state of North Carolina and local governments direct how opioid settlement funds are distributed and used in this state. Forsyth County has elected Option B which may involve funding strategies from the Exhibit A list, or a longer list of strategies found in Exhibit B. Funds shall be used to respond to the negative impacts of the opioid epidemic to Forsyth County residents through implementation of high-impact strategies.

Further information about how opioid settlement funds can be used in North Carolina, including Option A and Option B Exhibits, is available on the NC MOA Resource Center website. More general information about the opioid settlements is available on NC DOH's MorePowerfulNC website and on the Community Opioid Resources Engine for North Carolina (CORE-NC).

Eligible applicants must demonstrate they are able to provide the service specifications and standards set forth in this Request, shall meet criteria for Forsyth County vendors and Forsyth County contract terms, and shall meet all applicable conditions and requirements for Opioid Settlement funds.

Priority areas for funding may include but not be limited to projects that address the following strategies: Treatment focused strategies Option A(2): Expand evidence-based addiction treatment; Option B(A) Treat Opioid Use Disorder (OUD); Support focused strategies Option A(3) Recovery Support Services; Option A(4) Recovery housing support; Option B(B) Support people in treatment and recovery; Option B(C) Connect people who need help to the help they need (connections to care); Prevention focused strategies Option A(6) Early intervention; Option B(G) Harm reduction focused strategies Option A(7) Naloxone distribution; Option A(9) Syringe service program; and Option B(H) Prevent overdose deaths and other harms (harm reduction).

Behavioral Health General Description

Behavioral Health funding is for organizations and programs that will serve the mental health, substance use, and developmental disability needs of children and adults in Forsyth County. Priority areas for funding may include but not be limited to: Projects that facilitate quicker access to services and supports, education outreach and/or training efforts, jail and/or emergency department diversion, peer support services, transitional and supported housing, transportation to treatment/appointments and other services/supports that eliminate barriers to accessing care, developmental disabilities support services, respite services, expansion of service capacity for individuals that do not speak/speak limited English, trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy/trauma informed counseling, and psychological, substance use, evaluations & assessments.