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1 <br /> ORD-2024-020 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: June 18, 2024 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 8-x <br /> SUBJECT: Approval of Budget Amendment #11-C to Provide Supplemental Grant Funding <br /> for the Emergency Services' Post-Overdose Response Team (PORT) <br /> DEPARTMENT: Emergency Services <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Kirby Saunders, 919-245-6123 <br /> Attachment 1. Draft Alliance Healthcare Kim Woodward, 919-245-6133 <br /> Funding Agreement <br /> Attachment 2. Year-to-Date Budget <br /> Summary <br /> PURPOSE: To approve Budget Amendment#11-C to provide supplemental grant funding for the <br /> Emergency Services' Post-Overdose Response Team (PORT) to support operational expenses <br /> not previously funded by the Opioid Settlement Funds, in collaboration with Alliance Healthcare. <br /> BACKGROUND: The Orange County Emergency Services Department previously received <br /> $244,021 in Opioid Settlement Funding to create and implement a Post-Overdose Response <br /> Team (PORT). This funding provided the funding necessary to initialize the PORT program, <br /> including base salaries for (2) PORT Paramedics and (1) Peer Support Specialist, medication <br /> expenses, and some software expenses. The primary mission of the PORT team is to respond to <br /> overdoses, provide follow-up care, initiate medication assisted treatment (MAT) when warranted, <br /> and provide referral to recovery support services. <br /> In January 2024, Alliance Healthcare submitted a survey issued by North Carolina Department of <br /> Health and Human Services, Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and <br /> Substance Use Services (NC DHHS DMH/DD/SUS) for crisis services projects in the LME-MCO <br /> catchment areas. NC DHHS was seeking information about crisis service projects that already <br /> existed, were in the design phase or planned future projects to help inform them of budget funding <br /> priorities. In collaboration with Orange County, Alliance Healthcare submitted a lengthy survey <br /> regarding the PORT Team proposal. <br /> On May 15, 2024 Emergency Services received notification that Alliance Healthcare would fund <br /> $201,484 from its existing funds. The purpose of this grant is to assist the County in fully funding <br /> the Post Overdose Response Team through June 30, 2025. The funding allows Emergency <br /> Services to purchase additional equipment, additional harm-reduction supplies, and a software <br /> bridge between the emergency medical services (EMS) electronic patient care reporting and case <br /> management software. Additionally, this grant provides funding to cover personnel base salaries <br /> from May 2025 until June 2025 and all overtime expenses through FY 2024-25, thus expanding <br />