Community Access

Can I provide input on spending?

• 70% state share: Yes (required). The South Dakota Opioid Advisory Committee, which is required to establish a process for receiving input from South Dakota’s “communities, provider organizations, and cities and counties,”[1] includes a dedicated public comment period at the end of its meetings.[2] Visit the Advisory Committee’s website to find meeting dates and agendas. The Advisory Committee must meet at least twice annually and make formal spending recommendations at least once annually.[3]

• 30% local share: Generally, yes. Though local governments are not required to seek public input as to settlement spending specifically, South Dakota’s Open Meetings Laws require local governments to accept public comments during their public meetings.[4] Take advantage of this requirement by showing up to meetings of your local governing body and offering comments on local settlement spending.

Can I apply for grants?

Yes. Visit this website to learn more about the Opioid Settlement Fund Community Grant Program.[5] Local governments may create grant programs to distribute their share of funds. The existence, parameters, and processes for local settlement grant programs will vary by locality, so stay alert for new opportunities. Visit the Opioid Settlement Community Grants Portal (OpioidSettlementTracker.com and Legal Action Center) for the most up-to-date information on settlement grant opportunities for community organization.

Where do I go for updates?

• For updates on the state share, visit the South Dakota Opioid Advisory Committee’s website. See also Department of Health’s Prescription Opioid Abuse Prevention Initiative.

• To find updates on the local share, a good starting point is to check the websites for your board of county commissioners, city council, or local health department. The South Dakota Department of Social Services maintains a list of local contacts, and you can also review the state’s annual reports on opioid funding (the 2023 report includes the amount of settlement funds distributed to local governments, and the 2024 report will include information on their “[p]rograms, strategies, and projects funded”).[6]

What else should I know?

Not applicable.

Citations

1. The Advisory Committee is required to “establish a process for receiving input from South Dakota’s communities, provider organizations, and cities and counties regarding how the opioid crisis is affecting their communities, understanding their abatement needs, and considering proposals for opioid abatement strategies and responses.” South Dakota Opioid Settlement Memorandum of Agreement Sec. IX(C). ↑

2. See, e.g., Meeting Agenda. South Dakota Opioid Abuse Advisory Committee. August 29, 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024. ↑

3. South Dakota Opioid Settlement Memorandum of Agreement Sec. IX(C); Bylaws of the South Dakota Opioid Abuse Advisory Committee Art. IV. ↑

4. S.D. Codified Laws Sec. 1-25-1 (“The public body shall reserve at every official meeting a period for public comment, limited at the public body’s discretion as to the time allowed for each topic and the total time allowed for public comment, but not so limited as to provide for no public comment”) and Sec. 1-25-12(1) (defining “political subdivision”), (2) (defining “public body” to mean “any political subdivision and the state”). ↑

5. Behavioral Health Funding Opportunities and Grant Information. South Dakota Department of Social Services. Accessed September 1, 2024. ↑

6. Appendix C: 2022 Report of Participating Local Governments. Federal Opioid Funding State of South Dakota Annual Report 2023. South Dakota Department of Health and Department of Social Services. ↑