# Nebraska’s Opioid Settlements

*This Community Guide will describe how Nebraska is spending its opioid settlements, and whether Nebraska is working to ensure community access to opioid settlement funds. Last revised September 1, 2024.*

<table data-view="cards" data-full-width="true"><thead><tr><th align="center"></th><th align="center"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="center"><h4>Total Funds</h4></td><td align="center"><p><strong>$181.15 million</strong>[1]</p><hr><p>[1] Total is rounded. <em>See</em> <a href="https://www.opioidsettlementtracker.com/globalsettlementtracker">The Official Opioid Settlement Tracker Tally</a>. Accessed September 1, 2024.</p></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><h4>Allocation</h4></td><td align="center"><p>85% to the Nebraska Opioid Recovery Trust Fund and 15% to local governments</p><p><br><img src="https://1278853151-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FmAOHI31RFTjcczI1lTHT%2Fuploads%2FdLEdc9RFR9J4Abk7AYmz%2F_OpioidSettlement-DecisionMaking_Nebraska.png?alt=media&#x26;token=88697568-15bc-4cff-8b9a-7a180c2f0f59" alt=""><br></p></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><h4>Mechanism</h4></td><td align="center"><strong>Legislation</strong> (Neb. Rev. Stat. Ann. Secs. <a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=71-2485">71-2485</a> to <a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=71-2495">71-2495</a>; Secs. <a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=81-5,153">81-5,153</a> and <a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=81-3119">81-3119</a>); <strong>Bylaws</strong> (<a href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/Behavioral%20Health%20Documents/Nebraska%20Opioid%20Settlement%20Remediation%20Advisory%20Committee%20Bylaws%20-%20amended%206-2023.pdf">Bylaws of the Opioid Settlement Remediation Advisory Committee</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table data-header-hidden data-full-width="true"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><h4>85% Opioid Recovery Trust Fund Share</h4></td><td><h4>15% Local Share</h4></td></tr><tr><td><em><strong>Ultimate Decisionmaker</strong></em></td><td><a href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/default.aspx"><strong>Department of Health and Human Services</strong></a><strong>’ (DHHS)</strong> <a href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Behavioral-Health.aspx"><strong>Division of Behavioral Health</strong></a> <strong>(DBH)</strong> and <strong>regions</strong> decide majority</td><td><strong>Local officials</strong> for counties and municipalities</td></tr><tr><td><em><strong>Decision-making Process</strong></em></td><td><p><strong>Most is disbursed by the legislature to the Opioid Treatment Infrastructure Cash Fund managed by DHHS’ Division of Behavioral Health (DBH)</strong>. The <a href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Opioid-Settlement-Workgroup.aspx">Opioid Settlement Remediation Advisory Committee</a> is responsible for advising the DBH.</p><p><a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=71-2490">State law</a> also requires the Treasurer to annually transfer amounts from this share to other <strong>cash funds assigned to various other decisionmakers</strong>, including the Opioid Prevention and Treatment Cash Fund for spending by the state’s health regions.</p></td><td><strong>Localities decide autonomously</strong></td></tr><tr><td><em><strong>Supplantation</strong></em></td><td><strong>Not prohibited</strong></td><td><strong>Not prohibited</strong></td></tr><tr><td><em><strong>Grant Funding</strong></em></td><td><strong>No</strong> </td><td><strong>Up to each locality</strong> (availability and processes will vary)</td></tr><tr><td><em><strong>Public Input</strong></em></td><td><strong>Yes</strong> (public comment required at <a href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Opioid-Settlement-Workgroup.aspx">Opioid Settlement Remediation Advisory Committee</a> and Regional Behavioral Health Authority meetings)</td><td><strong>Generally, yes</strong> (public comment required at public meetings)</td></tr><tr><td><em><strong>Advisory Body</strong></em></td><td><p><strong>Yes</strong> (not required). <em>See</em> the Nebraska <a href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Opioid-Settlement-Workgroup.aspx">Opioid Settlement Remediation Advisory Committee</a>* </p><p>The Committee’s bylaws require it to include member(s) with lived and/or living experience.</p><p>*Pending impact of <a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55637">2024 LB 1355</a>.</p></td><td><strong>Up to each locality</strong> (not required)</td></tr><tr><td><em><strong>Expenditures</strong></em></td><td><p><strong>No public reporting required</strong> (only intrastate)</p><p><em>See</em> limited details on expenditures in reports submitted by DHHS Division of Behavioral Health to the Governor, Attorney General, and legislature (<em>e.g.</em>, <a href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/Agencies/Health_and_Human_Services__Department_of/739_20231219-162548.pdf">December 2023 report</a>).</p></td><td><strong>Neither public nor intrastate reporting required</strong></td></tr><tr><td><em><strong>Updates</strong></em></td><td>For updates on the Opioid Recovery Trust Fund share, visit the Nebraska Opioid Settlement Remediation Advisory Committee’s <a href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Opioid-Settlement-Workgroup.aspx">website</a>, which includes information about upcoming meetings, past meetings, funding updates, and other resources. <em>See also</em> individual regions’ opioid settlement-related websites, <em>e.g.</em>, <a href="https://region3.net/opioid-resources/">Region 3</a>.</td><td>To find updates on the local share, a good starting point is to check the websites for your county board of commissioners, city council, or local health department.</td></tr></tbody></table>
