Bids will soon open for opioid abatement funds totaling $500K

Pictured here, Public Health Director Scott Tims discusses the RFP application with fellow committee members during a meeting held on Tuesday, September 17.

Photo/ Rachel Townsend

RACHEL TOWNSEND

Managing Editor

The Dyer County Opioid Abatement Committee convened Tuesday evening, September 17, to discuss details regarding bids for funding allocated to Dyer County organizations and businesses. The total allocation discussed was $506,623. Committee members have requested the allocation come in one bulk payment rather than trickle in year after year.

Present during the committee were members including Dyer County Health Department Public Health Educator II Robyn Russell, Dyer County Mayor David Quick, Commissioner Dob Johnson, Dyer County Fire Chief James Medling, 29th District Attorney General Danny Goodman, Alex McCuiston of Transitions, Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse Director Glen Tilghman, and Public Health Director Scott Tims.

Others present included Dyer County Finance Director Amy Perkins and Deputy Jeff Burns of the Dyer County Sheriff’s Department.

Opportunities to bid on a portion of the roughly $500K in opioid abatement funds that will be allocated to Dyer County are expected to open as early as September 27. As discussed by the committee, bids will be open for two groups: community-based organizations and local city or county government organizations. Noted by the committee, schools will be eligible to bid on project funding as branches of government.

Tims indicated that both types of submissions would adhere to the same application.

The RFP [request for proposal] period will close on October 25, with awards announced by December 16.

All proposals that are approved by the committee must be voted on and approved by the Dyer County Legislative Body during its December 9 meeting.

As agreed upon by the committee, bids may be reviewed for consideration by the opioid abatement committee of a neighboring county to ensure there is no bias in the scoring process.

Tims says he feels there will be enough funding to grant the majority of requests.

While specifics of the RFP will be published in the upcoming days, Tims says proposals must adhere to one of the following criteria: primary prevention, harm reduction, treatment, recovery support, education and training, and research and evaluation.

The next meeting will be held on September 24 at 1:30 p.m. at the Dyer County Courthouse.