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Dallas County could hand out up to $3 million to nonprofits battling the opioid crisis

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Six nonprofit organizations could be getting up to $500,000 each from Dallas County to battle the opioid crisis. The funding would be drawn from about $31 million awarded when Dallas County sued pharmaceutical companies that produced opioids.

Dallas County could award up to $3 million to nonprofit organizations to help fight the opioid use crisis.

At least six local organizations recently submitted proposals to Dallas County.

The money would come from a pot of about $31 million awarded when Dallas County sued Purdue Pharmaceuticals and many others.

The grants would be for prevention and treatment services, and supplies and equipment.

If chosen, each nonprofit could receive up to $500,000 each over two years. The decision on the grants could be announced by the end of summer.

Southwestern Medical Foundation, Nexus Recovery Center Incorporated, Dallas County MHMR Metrocare Services, Assured Heart Foundation, Youth180 and Homeward Bound, Inc. submitted proposals and attended a virtual meeting for questions.

Commissioner John Wiley Price says local groups helping to fight opioid and substance use deserve more money.

“In my opinion, you're talking three quarters to $1 million. You're talking about two years, 500,000," Price said. "This is a difficult population, and so you don't get a chance to breeze by them. It's going to take a lot of work. We've got to do this right.”

A separate pot of $16.5 million in opioid settlement money Texas has received so far will be dispersed over time to health-related state agencies and departments.

Last week the Supreme Court blocked Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy plan protecting it from opioid-related lawsuits.

Got a tip? Email Marina Trahan Martinez at mmartinez@kera.org. You can follow Marina at @HisGirlHildy.

KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.

Marina Trahan Martinez is KERA's Dallas County government accountability reporter. She's a veteran journalist who has worked in the Dallas area for many years. Prior to coming to KERA, she was on The Dallas Morning News Watchdog investigative and accountability team with Dave Lieber. She has written for The New York Times since 2001, following the 9/11 attacks. Many of her stories for The Times focused on social justice and law enforcement, including Botham Jean's murder by a Dallas police officer and her subsequent trial, Atatiana Jefferson's shooting death by a Fort Worth police officer, and protests following George Floyd's murder. Marina was part of The News team that a Pulitzer finalist for coverage of the deadly ambush of Dallas police officers in 2016.