The NCACC, the University of North Carolina’s Injury Prevention Research Center, and the North Carolina Division of Public Health’s Injury and Violence Prevention Branch are hosting the Opioid Settlement Academy. The Academy brings together North Carolina local governments who are receiving funds from the national opioid settlements and supports them in preparing to implement a new or expand an existing opioid settlement strategy. The 2025-2026 Academy will focus on justice system interventions in Exhibit A of the NC Memorandum of Agreement (NC MOA): Strategy 10, Criminal justice diversion programs; Strategy 11, Addiction treatment for incarcerated persons; or, Strategy 12, Reentry programs. To attend the Academy, you must form a team of 4-6 individuals led by a government representative working to implement opioid settlement strategies locally.
- Have questions about the application? Click here to view a PDF of the FAQs.
- Want to see a preview of the application? Click here to view a PDF of the questions.
Click the button below to apply. The application deadline was Friday, August 15, 2025 by 5:00 p.m.
What is our goal?
Prepare teams from North Carolina counties and municipalities to implement or expand Strategies 10, 11, or 12 within Exhibit A of the NC MOA on the allocation and use of opioid settlement funds. During the Academy, teams will participate in a program planning process to prepare for strategy implementation or expansion.
What should you expect?
Teams will participate in a total of 5 in-person training days (two, 2-day sessions and one, half-day session) to be held in Wake County, and will be expected to complete some preparatory work before the Academy begins as well as in between sessions. At each in-person session, teams will be led through a series of presentations from subject matter experts and apply learnings through hands-on activities and team-based exercises.
Teams will be assigned a coach for the duration of the Academy and will receive support during and in-between Academy sessions as they develop their own program plans. Teams will participate in a minimum of two virtual coaching sessions with their assigned coach in between in-person training sessions. Teams will also have opportunities to network with and learn from each other.
You are encouraged to apply if you…
- Are a North Carolina county or municipality receiving opioid settlement funds
- Are ready to implement or expand one NC MOA Exhibit A justice system-related strategy. These include Strategy 10, Criminal justice diversion programs; Strategy 11, Addiction treatment for incarcerated persons; or, Strategy 12, Reentry programs.
- Have an existing (or are willing to form a) committed, core team of four to six members with an identified county lead representative. Members of the team should include representatives from relevant partners who will be engaged in strategy implementation.
- Currently have the support from local law enforcement and/or a justice system agency (e.g., county jail or court system). Teams will be required to submit at least one letter of support from local law enforcement and/or a justice system agency as a part of their application.
For example, if you are planning to implement a Diversion Program (Exhibit A, Strategy 10) then you would be expected to include at least one local law enforcement staff member on the team.
Other potential team members include:
- Person(s) with lived experience
- Local government staff members
- Case managers
- Community coalition leaders or members
- Community health workers
- Community supervision
- County commissioners, City council members
- County Manager’s office
- Dept of Social Services
- EMS responders
- Faith community leaders
- Harm reduction service providers
- Health department/district representatives
- Health educators
- Healthcare providers
- Housing and homelessness services agencies
- Housing authority representatives
- Justice system partners
- Law enforcement officers
- Local business owners
- Recovery advocates and allies
- Reentry support
- School system (k-12 & higher education)
- Sheriff’s office
- Social workers
- Treatment providers (private or public)
- Youth serving organizations
Academy Learning Objectives
The learning objectives for this Opioid Settlement Academy are:
- Deepen understanding of the national opioid settlements, the NC Memorandum of Agreement, and relevant opioid abatement strategies
- Review and discuss the strategies in the NC MOA related to the justice system (Exhibit A, Strategies 10, 11, and 12)
- Learn how to collaborate with justice system partners, including local law enforcement, probation/parole systems, the court system, the district attorney’s office and related agencies
- Gain an understanding of ways peer support services and trauma-informed practices can be integrated into justice system strategies
- Acquire practical skills and knowledge in program planning for justice system strategies
- Access and use local and state data to support your local government’s opioid overdose response
- Strengthen program planning skills by developing a tailored, collaborative project plan for your team’s selected strategy
Academy Deliverables
Each team will develop: 1) A realistic program plan that your team can use to implement your selected strategy; 2) A presentation on how your local government plans to implement an opioid abatement strategy in-person at the March 2026 Opioid and Prescription Drug Abuse Advisory Committee (OPDAAC) meeting in Wake County, NC.
Application Process
- Each local government may only submit one application.
- One application should be submitted by the team leader (a local government staff person) on behalf of their team.
- Each team is required to submit at least one letter of support from local law enforcement and/or a justice system agency (e.g., county jail or court system) as a part of their application.
- We may reach out to the team lead and/or individual team members for further information or clarification as we are reviewing applications.
- Once the teams are selected, a follow-up survey will be sent to each team member identified in this application to gather information about their background, education, experience, and interests.
- The Academy is geared toward working with teams of 4-6 individuals representing local government staff and partners who will be helping to implement or advising on your selected justice system strategy.
- If you are interested in submitting an application, yet do not have a team of at least three individuals, attend the interest session or contact us for assistance in identifying potential additional team members.
- Applications for the Opioid Settlement Academy were due Friday, August 15, 2025 by 5:00 p.m.
- We will contact applicants about their participation in the Academy by August 26, 2025.
- Please email us at [email protected] if you have any questions or need assistance with your application.
- Have questions about the application? Click here to view a PDF of the FAQs.
The Details
The application deadline was Friday, August 15, 2025 by 5:00 p.m.
Please choose one team leader to apply on behalf of the entire team.
- What?
This year’s Academy will focus on the following NC Memorandum of Agreement Exhibit A Strategies:
Strategy 10: Criminal Justice Diversion: Support pre-arrest or post-arrest diversion programs, or pre-trial service programs, that connect individuals involved or at risk of becoming involved in the criminal justice system to addiction treatment, recovery support, harm reduction services, primary healthcare, prevention, or other services or supports they need, or that provide any of these services or supports.
Strategy 11: Addiction Treatment for Incarcerated Persons: Support evidence-based addiction treatment, including Medication-Assisted Treatment with at least one FDA-approved opioid agonist, to persons who are incarcerated in jail or prison.
Strategy 12: Support programs that connect incarcerated persons to addiction treatment, recovery support, harm reduction services, primary healthcare, or other services or supports they need upon release from jail or prison, or that provide any of these services or supports.
Close accordion - When?
Session I
2-day training
October 27-28, 2025
Quorum Center, Raleigh, NC
Session II2-day training
January 26-27, 2026
Quorum Center, Raleigh, NCSession III
In-person presentation
Close accordion
OPDACC meeting on March 27, 2026
Quorum Center, Raleigh, NC - Where?
The in-person Academy sessions will be held in Wake County, NC. If accepted, all members of your team must commit to attending all sessions in Raleigh.
Close accordion - Cost?
- No cost for registration, tuition, and/or materials
- No cost for breakfast, lunch, and/or refreshments during in-person sessions
- Each team will be responsible for their own travel costs: lodging (if necessary), meals (dinner only), and transportation
Need more info?
Have questions or are interested in learning more?
- Contact us at [email protected].
- Click here to view a PDF of the application FAQs.