One thousand, one-hundred and sixty.

That’s how many people died of opioid overdoses in Colorado in 2022 — a nearly 54% uptick from the 620 deaths in 2019, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. 

As part of the efforts to combat the crisis, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser’s office recently awarded $4 million to eight local organizations. The money from the Opioid Abatement Innovation Challenge grants will be used in various abatement programs that seek to reduce the amount of opioid abuse in the state.

Colorado is on track to receive more than $740 million in opioid settlement funds from distributors and drug manufacturers to date — all going toward local abatement efforts. 

Sixty-six applications were received during the summer window, totaling $44 million in funding requests, according to a press release from Weiser’s office.

The applications were then judged on “demonstrated need, program innovation, community collaboration, evaluation methods and sustainability, emphasizing evidence-based practices to combat the opioid crisis,” according to the release.

The eight organizations awarded the money are:

Boys and Girls Club in Colorado received $480,000 for its prevention programming of young people at 11 “geographically diverse” clubs. The funds will help the clubs provide social experiences to children and teens, addressing risk and protective factors.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s office of HIV/STI/Viral Hepatitis received $430,000 for the Harm Reduction Accelerator Fund to fund two new rural programs and a related summit to promote evidence-based practices.

Colorado Health Network: Western Colorado Health Network received $400,000 in funds toward integrating behavioral health programs and care coordination services into a rural syringe access program existing in rural Colorado. These efforts will help lead people to treatment, naloxone and behavioral health counseling, among other resources.

Denver Health and Hospital Authority: The Colorado Opioid Model to Advance Treatment project received $790,000 in funding. The project looks to help Colorado counties and organizations work together for treatment and care coordination through a hub-and-spoke model.

The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office received for $600,000 for the the Stone Soup Community Reintegration Initiative, attacking opioid abuse at the systematic level, according to the release.

“Through practices backed by data and research and honoring input from those with lived experience, the initiative targets policies, community support, organizational culture, intergenerational trauma, and individual needs related to the systems that lead to criminal behavior that cannot be adequately addressed through traditional efforts of individual organizations and programs,” according to the release.

The Rocky Mountain Crisis Partners received $400,000 for the Opioid Follow-up Program. The program works to increase engagement in healthcare services for individuals who have co-occurring mental health concerns and opioid use disorder.

The Serenity Recovery Connection and partners Homeward Pikes Peak and Hazelbrook Community Center received $500,000 toward their recovery support services. These services include sober living, outpatient programs and a housing model that transitions active drug users to sober living.

Tepeyac Community Health Center received $400,000 for its substance use services, including providing naloxone, treating opioid addiction through medications and screening for opioid use disorder.

“These grants focus on encouraging innovative ideas to address pressing needs in affected communities, and recipients underwent rigorous evaluations to ensure they met this objective,” Weiser said in the release. “This investment goes beyond prevention and treatment; it’s a commitment to hope, recovery and the well-being of all Coloradans.”