Weirton Opioid Settlement Funding Requests

Please read the Funding Request Application Process below before applying:

                                                                                                                                                                                                 PDF Opioid Funding Application Form


Application Submission                                                                                               

Submit Application to:

City of Weirton

c/o City Clerk

200 Municipal Plaza

Weirton, WV 26062

Email: cityclerk@cityofweirton.com                                                                                                                                                              

OPIOID SETTLEMENT BACKGROUND

Beginning in the 1990’s, the increased prescribing of opioids caused an increase in addiction and overdoses across the country.[1] Thereafter, overdoses caused by the use of heroin and synthetic opioids began in 2010. Between 1999 and 2021, nearly 645,000 people nationwide died from an opioid overdose. These opioid addictions and overdoses have been characterized as an epidemic by the health care industry and others.

The opioid epidemic hit our State particularly hard.  With the overdose death rate at 35.5 deaths per 100,000 people in 2014, it was almost 2.5 times higher than the national average.[2]  Even our United States Senators acknowledge that West Virginia leads the nation in overdose deaths.[3]

The opioid crisis has been attributed in part to the pharmaceutical industry. This resulted in lawsuits in many states against them and settlements for billions of dollars.

In West Virginia, the State as well as counties and cities sued the pharmaceutical companies and settled thousands of claims. The settlements have been structured for distribution according to the West Virginia First Memorandum of Understanding, in part, to local governments.

Weirton’s Role in the Settlement

Weirton has received and is expected to continue receiving funds from these settlements. As part of the settlement agreement, West Virginia cities must utilize the funds to combat the opioid crisis and address the harm that it has caused. The City will do this, in part, by providing grants to organizations that will fight the crisis.

The West Virginia First Memorandum of Understanding sets out guidelines for the utilization of the settlement funds. Summarizing the Memorandum, these funds should be used in one or more of the five categories or core principles:

  1. Education
  2. Emergency Services
  3. Prevention
  4. Intervention
  5. Rehabilitation

FUNDING REQUEST APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications for funding requests from the City’s opioid settlement will first be reviewed by the City Manager and his designees for compliance with the following basic procedural requirements:

Procedural Requirements:

  1. Has the applicant completed the City’s Opioid Settlement Funding Application Form?
  2. Has the applicant adequately set forth the terms of the funding request?
  3. Is the applicant a governmental entity or tax-exempt nonprofit entity?
  4. Does the request fit into one of the five categories of Education; Emergency Services; Prevention; Intervention; or Rehabilitation?
  5. Does the applicant have an established history of addressing these concerns and undertaking projects within one or more of the five categories?

Unless 1-5 are answered “yes,” the request will be summarily denied.

    6. Is the request significant?

  • If so, has the applicant provided a funding, project, or nonprofit business plan?
  • If the request is significant and there is no corresponding plan, then the request may be summarily denied by City staff.

Substantive Considerations:

  1. If the proposed use is better handled by another entity.
  2. An applicant’s track record and history.
  3. An applicant’s alternative sources of funding, both current and projected.
  4. Is the request a one-time award or ongoing expense?
  5. The City’s level of involvement.
  6. An applicant’s anticipated outcome and evidentiary support.
  7. Funding of similar programs.

If a funding request is awarded, the applicant is expected to update Weirton City Council quarterly or upon reasonable request by the City Manager. Updates are to be written or as otherwise set forth in the award. At minimum, updates should include the amount of funds received, the amount of funds used, and any information describing the progress toward the purpose of the award.

REFERENCES

[1]   https://www.capito.senate.gov/about/issues/fighting-drug-epidemic