July 16, 2024 Minutes

Weld Regional Opioid Council Meeting

Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment, Room 103
1555 North 17th Avenue, Greeley CO 80631
July 16, 2024 @ 9:00 am to 11:00 am

Council Members in Attendance:  Kim Emil – Town of Windsor Government; Zo Hubbard – Town of Fort Lupton; Tom Nissen – Ault Police Department; Michael Pirraglia – Weld County District Attorney’s Office; Scott James – Weld County Commissioner; Bob McDonald – Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment; Julie Witkowski – Weld County Department of Human Services; Matt Elbe – Weld County Sheriff’s Office; John Gates – Town of Greeley; Kevin Sturch – Eaton Police Department; Mike Zeller – Greeley police Department

Non-Council Members in Attendance:  Kelley McCandless – Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment; Holly Smith – Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment; Tanya Geiser – Weld County Department of Human Services; MJ Jorgensen – North Colorado Health Alliance; Izzy Pike – North Colorado Health Network; Mike Knee – Weld County Sherriff’s Office; Richard Zeigler – Windsor Police Department; Natalie Sandoval – CO Attorney General’s Office; Jack Patterson – CO Attorney General’s Office; Dayna Johnson – North Range Behavioral Health; Cathey Hoover – Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment; Adria Schiel – Weld County Attorney’s Office; Dayna DeHerrera-Smith – Porchlight Health Front Range Clinic; Bill Fritz – Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment; Lili Carrillo – Colorado Health Network

Minutes

  1. Introductions and Opening Remarks
    • Meeting called to order at 9:00 a.m.
    • Kelley McCandless is the new Substance Use Disorder Specialist for the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment. Cathy Hoover is also new with the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment and will be overseeing the program.
  2. Review and Approve Agenda & Previous Meeting Minutes
    • Zo Hubbard motioned to amend the agenda for the July 16, 2024 meeting to allow North Colorado Health Network the opportunity to request modification of their funding for 2024. Matt Elbe seconded the motion. Amended agenda for the July 16, 2024 meeting approved. Tom Nissen motioned to approve the minutes of the April 16, 2024 meeting. Zo Hubbard seconded the motion. Minutes for the April 16, 2024 meeting approved.
  3. Proposal of Modification of North Colorado Health Network 2024 Funding Request
    • Change in title of the position being funded. Collaborating with leadership team to expand the Organizational Development Specialist role. Newer position will ensure statewide wellness and provide one on one clinical supervision for staff working with clients. This will improve and enhance client interaction and improve health outcomes. The funding modification is only for the remainder of the 2024 funding cycle. Intent of the position is still the same, the job title will be different and will include additional clinical supervision.
    • Zo Hubbard motioned to approve the modification. Motion seconded by Julie Witkowski. All council members in favor.
  4. Review, Discussion and Vote on 2025 Funding Requests
    • Review:
      • Received 10 proposals totaling just under $2 million. Won't have enough to fund all proposals. (See Attachment #1 for summary of proposals)
      • All proposals appear to be for allowable uses.
      • 2 of the proposals are for law enforcement. There is a list of approved purposes for law enforcement in Exhibit E. Jack with the CO Attorney General’s office provided an explanation of where those approved uses can be found: https://coag.gov/app/uploads/2024/06/Law-Enforcement-Approved-Uses.pdf
      • Tanya confirmed there is some rollover funding of about $338,000 that has not been committed for 2024. This money could be used to possibly fund some proposals this year, or rollover into next year. The total amount that could potentially be allocated for 2025 included the uncommitted funding from 2024 is about $1.63 million.
    • Discussion:
      • Will send out a survey to get feedback on the RFP process.
      • Will start asking organizations to provide a summary of their request.
      • Discussion of adding a few questions in the future to the RFP about services being covered by additional funding sources, the sustainability of programs after funding ceases, and what allowable use area the funding falls into (i.e. prevention, harm reduction, treatment, recovery, and opioid abatement planning & coordination)
      • A few organizations where under the impression that their previously approved funding was multiyear funding. They were not aware that they would have to submit a proposal every year for additional funding. For example, the Weld County Sheriff’s Office was approved for $415,000 for 2024 for MAT treatment. They did not reapply, so will not be receiving funds in 2025 unless another RFP process is opened up for additional funds.
    • Vote:
      • Motion made by Zo Hubbard to approve in full the proposals for the Ault Police Department ($46,000), Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment ($13,000), and Greeley Police Department ($58,785), totaling $117,785.00. Motion seconded by Commissioner Scott James. All members in favor. Those three proposals approved.
      • Since the Council approved the revised bylaws which included the ability for the Council to establish subcommittees as deemed appropriate, a subcommittee will be formed to score the remaining 7 proposals.
        • Zo Hubbard, Julie Witkowski, and Tom Nissen volunteered to sit on subcommittee. Zo will chair the committee.
        • Kelley will send out the proposals and the scoring rubric (available on the WCDPHE website: https://www.weld.gov/Government/Departments/HealthandEnvironment/Health-Education-Communication-andPlanning/RegionalOpioid-Council/2025-Request-for-Proposals)to the subcommittee. Will coordinate a meeting(s) for review.
        • Bob asked Tanya to provide the subcommittee with the amount of funding available for 2025.
        • Another meeting will be scheduled before the October meeting for a vote on the remaining proposals.
  5. Review, Discussion and Vote on Proposed Bylaw Revisions
    • Review:
      • Article II – Proposes that the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment shall provide a fiscal agent to support the activities of the Weld Regional Opioid Council.
      • Article III, Section A, 1g and 1g – Designates that the representative be appointed by the Executive Director of the specified Weld County Department.
      • Article III, Section A, 2 – Edit that Non-Voting Members shall be approved rather than appointed by a vote of the Council. 
      • Article III, Section A, 3 – Clarification that any voting member needing to be replaced for any reason prior to the expiration of their term will be appointed by the organization in which the voting member represented.
      • Article III, Section B – Appointment of a vice chair.
      • Article III, Section C – Designating a delegate.
      • Article IV, Section B – Electronic meeting invite serving as written notice of a meeting.
      • Article IV, Section C – Adding in Vice Chair and removing written notice at a member’s residence of special meeting notice.
      • Article IV, Section D, 3 – Adding in Vice Chair
      • Article IV, Section E, 5 – Adding in a proxy vote.
      • Article IV, Section E, 6 – Adding in participation by phone.
      • Article IV, Section E, 8 – Adding in an explanation that subcommittees may be established as the Council deems appropriate.
    • Discussion:
      • Concern brought up by Commissioner Scott James that the rewording of Article II in regard to the fiscal agent cements that person in the role to be from Weld County and does not allow the opportunity for another entity to hold that role. Concern that this would be negating the IGA by changing this bylaw.
      • Motion made by Commissioner Scott James to leave the current wording of Article II. Motion seconded by Zo Hubbard. All members in favor. Motion passed to strike the revision of Article II for the fiscal agent.
      • Kim Emil questioned the need for the addition of the proxy language in Article IV, Section E, 5. Since delegates would be allowed to attend with voting rights, there does not seem to be a need for the proxy.
      • Motion made by Kim Emil to remove the addition of the proxy language from Article IV, Section E, 5. Motion seconded by Zo Hubbard. All members in favor. Motion passed to strike the revision of Article IV, Section E, 5.
    • Vote:
      • Motion made by Zo Hubbard to approve the revisions of the bylaws, with the 2 amendments as discussed and approved. Motion seconded by Tom Nissen. All members in favor. Revised bylaws approved.
  6. Updates from Council Voting and Non-Voting Orgs.
    • All council member appointments will be expiring in August. Many council members have expressed interest in serving another term. Bob and/or Kelley will reach out to those that may need replaced.
    • Tanya mentioned a significant gap in connection with the medical community (i.e. emergency rooms). MJ offered to provide some points of connection.
  7. Closing Remarks
    • An invite will be sent out for a meeting for council members to vote on remaining proposals once subcommittee has determined recommendations.
    • Minutes will be sent out in the next week.
    • Reminder to register for the 2024 Opioid Abatement Conference: 2024 Colorado Opioid Abatement Conference | Humanitix
  8. Adjourn
    • Motion by Bob McDonald to adjourn the meeting. Motion seconded by Zo Hubbard. Meeting adjourned at 10:38 a.m.

Next Meeting:  Tuesday, October 15, 2024 @ 9:00 am at Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment and available virtually through Microsoft Teams

Attachment #1:  Weld County Regional Opioid Council Meeting--July 16, 2024; Summary of 2025 Proposals for Opioid Settlement Funding

  1. The Ault Police Department is seeking $46,000.00 to acquire, train, and maintain a trained narcotics detection dog. This K-9 will be used for two primary purposes: community outreach at locations such as schools, events, the senior center, etc., and for the detection and removal of opioids from the streets.
  2. The FullCircle Program is seeking $150,000.00 for their efforts focused on prevention, harm reduction, and treatment support. It aims to use recovery programming, education, and support systems to reduce the prevalence of opioid and other substance use disorders in Weld County. The Program largely targets people aged 13-25 and their families
  3. North Colorado Health Alliance (NCHA) is seeking $500,000.00 to expand and continue their existing treatment, recovery, and educational services in Weld County. Their services include addiction treatment and navigation of the treatment system
  4. North Range Behavioral Health (NRBH) is seeking $537,800.00 to fund three programs that build upon previous efforts. Their use of funds will involve hiring an educator to help guide individuals to consider careers in substance use recovery (and offer support in that process); continued funding for their coresponder program which is a collaboration between behavioral health specialists and law enforcement that helps with assessment, de-escalation, and education; and the creation of a team that specifically helps treat youth facing opioid use disorders and meet their specific needs.
  5. Porch Light Health is seeking $108,645.63 for their contingency management program that targets individuals with stimulant use disorders and joint stimulant/opioid use disorders. Contingency management is a system where clients receive a financial incentive for a negative urine screen and for attendance to programming.
  6. The Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment is seeking $13,000.00 to expand naloxone distribution in-clinic and through community outreach. The states bulk Narcan fund will no longer be accessible.
  7. The You Own Life’s Opportunities (YOLO) Foundation is seeking $160,000.00 to provide short term (1-2 month) subawards to individuals in transitional housing in Evans, CO. This provides financial assistance to help them acquire housing. Additionally, funding will be used to provide bus passes for court and other meetings necessary to assist in recovery. They will also hire a part-time administrative assistant and supplement the director’s salary (the director provides programmatic, rather than administrative, efforts).
  8. The YOLO Foundation is aiming to make improvements on their women’s home in Greeley, CO using $152,000.00 to double the number of beds available.
  9. The Greeley Police Department is requesting $58,785.00 to purchase a device that increases the feasibility of on-site fentanyl detection, with the subsequent goal of reducing narcotic trafficking in Weld County. This could help identify networks within the illicit drug economy.
  10. North Colorado Health Network (NCHN) is requesting $261,208.00 to continue an initiative started in 2023, when the Behavioral Health team launched Connection Point, a low barrier drop-in mental health program and has been effective in connecting with PWUD. Through Behavioral Health Program’s unique relationship with AP, the Behavioral Health team has utilized evidenced-based interventions to connect PWUD to higher levels of care. North Colorado Health Network (NCHN) proposes to continue to have one Masters of Social Work (MSW) and one Master’s level intern provide brief intervention and crisis intervention to people who use drugs (PWUD) engaging in Access Point (AP) programming.

 

 

 

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