Label
One Ohio Opioid Settlement Fund Expenditure
Toledo Fire & Rescue Operations
CFO Tammy Powell (x3515)
Title
Authorizing the appropriation and expenditure of OneOhio Opioid Settlement Funds for Fire Department opiate responses, interventions, and related equipment purchases; authorizing the Mayor to enter into necessary contracts and medical supply purchase agreements; waiving the competitive bidding requirements of TMC Chapter 187; and declaring an emergency.
Body
SUMMARY & BACKGROUND:
In May of 2023, Ordinance 240-23, pursuant to the OneOhio Opioid settlement Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Ohio Rev. Code § 5705.09(F), established a fund to account for the City’s local government of opioid settlement funds. Consistent with guidance from the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office, Ord. 240-23 limits use of opioid settlement funds for opiate-related interventions in alignment with the approved purposes stated in the OneOhio MOU.
Since the start of 2020 to the end of 2023, Toledo Fire & Rescue Department (TFRD) has treated over 5,400 opioid emergencies, with the vast majority of those incidents resulting favorably and less than 1% of said responses ending in unsuccessful resuscitation efforts. Fire attributes this success to aggressive basic and advanced life support interventions, including CPR, medication administration, and respiratory assistance.
Furthermore, impacts of the COVID-19 nationwide shutdown diminished local opiate addiction resources that historically provided Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution services. As a result, residents have experienced a substantial care vacuum, spurring the creation of Toledo Fire’s Leave It Behind (LIB) program. This novel measure has permitted first responders to leave naloxone (NARCAN) kits with patients and families, making Fire the prevalent source for naloxone distribution. Since the program’s inception, over (839) LIB kits have been delivered. Additionally, the LIB program now links patients to recovery services by providing transportation to treatment centers and partners with the Lucas County Drug Abuse Response Team (DART) to further facilitate patient recovery efforts.
The above-mentioned measures have collectively saved many and positively impacted countless local families. A trend this fund will further by providing the Department means to procure requisite medical supplies and equipment.
As a component of the Advanced Life Support (ALS) services transition from Lucas County to the City of Toledo, TFRD has taken over responsibility for certain equipment purchases, management, and Pharmacy Board-controlled medications. The City will continue to receive rebated medical supply pricing based on the 2021 Lucas County bid sheet which will result in significant savings to the City. Toledo Fire and Rescue Operations is seeking to enter into agreements with multiple vendors offering supplies at the quotes offered within the bid sheet.
This expenditure is an approved purpose as defined in the MOU as an evidence-based strategy to expand the availability of treatment and expand harm reduction services and supplies, and prevent overdose deaths by increasing capacity for mobile units responding to opioid use disorders.
Summary
NOW THEREFORE Be it ordained by the Council of the City of Toledo:
SECTION 1. That an amount not to exceed $675,000 is appropriated from the unappropriated fund proceeds of the OneOhio Opioid Settlement Fund to Account Code 2022-53000-3341002STDSTD for Toledo Fire & Rescue Operations opiate responses, interventions, and related equipment purchases, and the expenditure of the same for said purposes is authorized.
SECTION 2. That the Mayor is authorized to enter into necessary contracts and execute medical supply purchase agreements for the puroses authorized in Section 1 upon terms and conditions acceptable to the Director of Law and the Director of Fire & Rescue.
SECTION 3. That this Council finds and determines it is in the best interest of the City to waive the competitive bid requirements of TMC Chapter 187 for the reason that the medical supply pricing offered by vendors on the established 2021 bid sheet are based on a collaborative procurement model that selects commodity suppliers vis a vis a competitive bidding process and will result in the most efficient means to purchase the supplies.
SECTION 3. That the Director of Finance is authorized to draw warrant or warrants against the above Account Code as required in payment of the above authorized obligations upon presentation of the proper voucher or vouchers.
SECTION 4. That this Ordinance is declared to be an emergency measure and shall be in force and effect from and after its passage. The reason for the emergency lies in the fact that it is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety and property and for the further reason to facilitate Fire Department opiate responses, interventions, and related equipment purchases.
Vote on emergency clause: yeas _____, nays _____.
Passed: _________________, as an emergency measure: yeas _____, nays _____.
Attest: ________________________ __________________________________
Clerk of Council President of Council
Approved: _____________________ __________________________________
Mayor
I hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of an Ordinance passed by Council ________________________.
Attest: ________________________
Clerk of Council