Opioid Settlement Proceeds Grants Program
The Opioid Settlement Proceeds Grants (OSPG) Program was established to distribute settlement funds received by the City of Jacksonville following its participation in lawsuits against manufacturers and distributors of prescription opioids for their roles in the opioid crisis. According to the Florida Department of Health, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department:
- More than 3,339 Duval County residents died of an unintentional overdose death from 2016 to 2023.
- From 2018 to 2022, the rate of opioid overdose deaths in Duval County increased by 67%.
- In 2023, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD) responded to an average of 240 opioid-related overdose calls each month. This measure improved significantly in 2024, with JFRD responding to an average of 153 opioid-related overdose calls each month that year. In 2025, this measure continued to improve with JFRD responding to an average of 111 opioid-related overdose calls each month that year.
The OSPG Program contracts with eligible agencies and organizations performing services in Duval County who have been in operation for a minimum of three years providing services related to the prevention, treatment, and/or recovery support for those with opioid use disorder and co-occurring substance use disorder or mental health conditions. The selection process of OSPG awards is outlined in Chapter 84, Ordinance Code, and evaluated by the Opioid and Substance Use Disorder (OSUD) Grants Committee.
OSUD Grants Committee
The OSUD Grants Committee’s goal is to distribute opioid settlement funds throughout the City of Jacksonville in a way that is equitable, efficient, and effective in order to combat the opioid crisis. The committee does so through the following activities:
- Review and assess the annual needs of the City for programs and services related to the opioid epidemic
- Recommend assigned percentage of funding for each funded category - prevention, treatment, and recovery support
- Review, evaluate, and score each Opioid Settlement Proceeds Grant application
- Award and allocate the annual opioid settlement proceeds appropriation
The OSUD Grants Committee consists of seven voting members; the Mayor and City Council President each appoint one member from each of the following categories: mental health professional, peer specialist, and healthcare professional. The seventh voting member is the Health Administrator of the Florida Department of Health, Duval County, who is a continuous, standing member. Additionally, the City Council President annually appoints a City Council Member to serve as a liaison to the OSUD Grants Committee.
Committee Members
| Member Name | Role | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Antonio Nichols | Chair | Health Administrator, Florida Department of Health, Duval County |
| Sarah Smith | Vice-Chair | Peer Specialist |
| Heather Rios | Secretary | Peer Specialist |
| B. Brian Beardsley | Member | Healthcare Professional |
| Dr. Chris DeStephano | Member | Healthcare Professional |
| Debbie O'Neal | Member | Mental Health Professional |
| Vacant | Member | Mental Health Professional |
City Council Liaison (non-voting member)
Ronald Salem - City Council Member, At-Large, Group 2
rsalem@coj.net
OSPG Program Staff
Madelaine A. Zarou - Manager of Opioid Abatement
mazarou@coj.net
Laura Viafora Ray - Program Coordinator of Opioid Abatement
lvray@coj.net
Fiscal Year 2026-2027 OSPG Program
FY 26-27 Timeline
- May 14, 2026: Mandatory Application Workshop
- May 20, 2026: Mandatory Application Workshop
- June 1, 2026: Application opened
- July 1, 2026: Application closed
- July 21, 2026: OSPG Appeals Board Meeting
- July 27, 2026 - August 28, 2026: Scoring period
- October 5, 2026: Tentative application rankings and funding allocations announcements
- October 13, 2026: Tentative OSPG Appeals Board Meeting
- October 19, 2026: Final application rankings and funding allocations announcements
- October 1, 2026 - September 30, 2027: Grant period
FY 26-27 Awarded Programs
The below programs are active from October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027.
| Funded Category | Agency Name | Program Name | Award Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prevention | Boys' and Girls' Clubs of Northeast Florida | SMART Moves Duval: Strong Choices - BGCNF's Comprehensive Youth Opioid Prevention Initiative | $355,828.00 |
| Prevention | Center for Children's Rights | Strengthening Community, Resiliency, and Mental Health Strategies to Prevent Opioid Use in Youth | $226,011.00 |
| Prevention | Hubbard House | RISE! Program | $299,342.77 |
| Prevention | Inspire to Rise | INSPIRED Youth Program | $406,392.10 |
| Prevention | Partnership for Child Health | STOP Initiative (Strategies and Tools for Opioid Prevention) | $189,724.00 |
| Prevention | Volunteers in Medicine Jacksonville | Forever Health Opioid Prevention Program | $317,885.47 |
| Treatment | Community Rehabilitation Center | LIFESTREAMS: Recovery Without Barriers Initiative - Treatment Program | $473,123.70 |
| Treatment | Gateway Community Services | PSL - Hospital Bridge | $500,000.00 |
| Treatment | I.M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless | Sulzbacher Substance Abuse Treatment Program | $500,000.00 |
| Treatment | Operation New Hope | Ready4Work Treatment Program | $269,260.13 |
| Recovery Support | Fresh Ministries | FreshMinistries Outpatient Recovery Program | $77,383.83 |
| Recovery Support | Gateway Community Services | PSL - Residential | $250,000.00 |
| Recovery Support | I.M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless | Sulzbacher Substance Abuse Recovery Program | $500,000.00 |
| Recovery Support | The City Rescue Mission | LifeBuilders Residential Addiction Recovery | $500,000.00 |
| Recovery Support | Trinity Rescue Mission | Lifeline Program | $415,000.00 |
OSUD Grants Committee Meeting Public Notices and Minutes
Public Records Notice: The City of Jacksonville is committed to making its website compliant with all state, local, and federal laws, as well as accessible to as many people as possible. The City is currently developing a procedure to make all documents posted ADA accessible. In the meantime, public records that are not currently accessible will not be posted to the City’s website but remain available pursuant to a public records request. To submit a public records request online visit MyJax or call (904) 630-CITY.