The Colorado Opioid Abatement Council has awarded $11 million to 24 organizations and local governments in its most competitive infrastructure funding round to date, expanding opioid treatment, recovery, and prevention services across the state.
The funding comes from more than $912 million in opioid settlement dollars secured by the Colorado Attorney General’s Office from manufacturers and distributors for their role in the opioid epidemic. These awards are part of the 10% of Colorado’s opioid settlement funds dedicated to infrastructure, under a joint agreement between the state and local governments (PDF) that ensures all funds are used to address the crisis.
“This round made clear just how urgent the need remains,” said Attorney General Phil Weiser. “Demand for funding far exceeded the available dollars, and the strength of the applications we received underscores the extraordinary work happening across Colorado. Unfortunately, we were not able to fund all the compelling and worthy projects. Moreover, the lack of funding and leadership at the federal level in this area — and, indeed, the painful cuts to social services — is fueling unmet needs, is irresponsible, and needs to be addressed as soon as possible. We will continue to do the best we can by investing these settlement funds into real results that save lives.”
This fourth round of infrastructure funding drew 54 eligible applications requesting $39.9 million, highlighting growing demand for services statewide, with requests exceeding available funding by nearly four to one. The selected projects span 15 of Colorado’s 19 opioid regions, serving 44 counties, with several statewide initiatives reaching all 64 counties. Once finalized, total infrastructure investments will reach $20.4 million.
The funding addresses infrastructure needs and supports both new facilities and expanded services, including treatment, recovery support, prevention, harm reduction, and services for people involved in the justice system. A majority of projects serve rural and underserved communities, expanding access to care in areas where services are limited or unavailable.
Many also reduce barriers to treatment and recovery through services such as transportation, housing, and childcare.
The Southwest Colorado Opioid Regional Council received $446,000 for its Building Bridges Recovery Project, to expand peer recovery coaching, support groups, and outreach, working with Advocates for Recovery Colorado to better serve individuals in rural communities. The Council also received $672,000 to create a coordinated pretrial program that connects justice-involved individuals to treatment, working with The Pathways Project and Porch Light Health to provide medication-assisted treatment early in the legal process.
All awards are pending acceptance of funding terms.
These investments strengthen Colorado’s coordinated statewide response to the opioid crisis, while highlighting the ongoing need for expanded services across Colorado. They also complement the Resilient Colorado funding opportunity from the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, which drew a record number of applications and will be announced this summer.