Why Should Delaware Care?
For years, local governments have been on the sidelines as millions of dollars meant to curb opioid overdose deaths have flowed into the state. But after leaders began to attend more meetings and carve out their share, a state commission is doling out awards.
A Delaware commission responsible for managing funds devoted to combatting the opioid crisis awarded more than $475,000 to three local governments Monday to implement new programs in their jurisdictions.
The Delaware Prescription Opioid Settlement Distribution Commission (POSDC), which awards grants from the $250 million won through legal battles against opioid manufacturers and distributors, approved three grants on Monday for Seaford, Wilmington and Newark.
The awards mark the first funds to reach local governments after a committee meant to distribute money to municipalities sat idle for three years.
The commission’s executive director, Brad Owens, applauded the local governments that have submitted applications in the short time since the commission approved their grant award process.
“Given the fact that we were still designing this program, [the municipalities] took a shot anyway, and put some significant thought into this, and, I thought, put together some really good applications for us to consider,” Owens said.
In November, the commission approved a new distribution process for local governments to collect their 15% of the annual distributions awarded through the program.
The commission later approved specific 2026 dollar amounts for each of the local governments that were slated to receive funding:
- New Castle County: $626,850
- Kent County: $518,507
- Sussex County: $479,641
- Wilmington: $441,065
- Dover: $248,602
- Seaford: $271,907
- Milford: $196,862
- Middletown: $94,349
- Newark: $252,602
- Smyrna: $119,610
Two of the cities did not receive their entire budgeted amount on Monday, but can apply again at a later date for different programs.
What grants did the commission award?
During the meeting, commission members reviewed three applications from Seaford, Newark and Wilmington for new programs.
The largest grant awarded on Monday went to Seaford to improve one of its local parks in partnership with two local advocacy groups. In total, the commission awarded the city $271,907 for an initiative to improve Nutter Park and work with two local nonprofits to do youth education and outreach.
Some of those funds will also go to the city’s police department to install more streetlights and other environmental designs meant to deter people from using drugs at the park.
Additionally, the city will give $100,000 of its grant to youth outreach nonprofit OUTLOUD DE and another $80,000 to the Sussex County Health Coalition.
According to a presentation at the meeting, the two organizations will partner with the city to do youth education and outreach work, as well as track the success of the new programs. Some of these outreach initiatives included education about naloxone, as well as hosting community events and listening sessions.
The City of Newark received the second largest approval of the day with a $133,633 grant to expand its police department’s “Behavioral Health Unit.” The funds will go toward hiring a social worker and case manager through ChristianaCare.
These staff members would work to redirect people using drugs away from the criminal justice system, and instead into treatment programs. The city still has an additional $118,969 in its allotment for the year to fund an additional program, but it has yet to submit another application to the commission for approval.
Lastly, the commission approved $90,000 for the City of Wilmington to fund new AEDs, or portable defibrillators, and kits of the overdose reversal agent naloxone. According to a presentation at the meeting, the city would spend $70,550 on 25 new AEDs for the Wilmington Police Department’s patrol vehicles.
The commission’s vice-chair, Dave Humes, questioned whether funding AEDs is in compliance with the settlement agreement with the manufacturers that says governments cannot “supplant” existing programs.
But Owens said the AEDs were compliant. There has been some debate about AEDs across the country, but Owens said other states have approved their use so long as applicants can show the device has a strong connection to combatting opioid use disorder in tandem with the other parts of their application.
“We’re not just going to pay for EMS equipment because we have the budget,” Owens said. “You have to show a strong connection to opioid use disorder.”
Wilmington’s program also will fund “Leave-Behind” kits for the department to hand out to community members that will include naloxone and educational materials.
The city still has $351,065 for additional programs this year.
The commission did not hear any other applications from the state’s local governments on Monday, and its Local Governments Committee, which hears applications from local leaders, is set to next meet in June.