REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
April 21, 2026
FROM
LUTHER SNOKE, Chief Executive Officer, County Administrative Office
SUBJECT
Title
Revision to the 2025-26 Opioid Settlement Funding Expenditure Plan
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve the revision to the County Opioid Settlement Funding Expenditure Plan, increasing the amount by $900,000, from $24,351,066 to $25,251,066, to address the opioid epidemic within the County.
2. Authorize the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to post the necessary budget adjustments, as detailed in the Financial Impact section, to the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator's 2025-26 budget (Four votes required).
(Presenter: Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The requested increase of $900,000 to the Opioid Settlement Funding (OSF) Expenditure Plan will expand the Sheriff’s Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Services Initiative for the administration of opioid medication provided to incarcerated individuals participating in the MAT program. This increase is fully funded by opioid settlement agreements with pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies, and other entities responsible for aiding the opioid epidemic (Opioid Settlement Defendants).
The Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator (Sheriff) requests the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector post the following adjustments to the 2025-26 budget, as detailed below:
|
Fund Center |
Commitment Item |
Description |
Action |
Amount |
|
4420001000 |
51001010 |
Regular Salary |
Increase |
$400,000 |
|
4420001000 |
55405012 |
Services and Supplies - Transfers Out |
Increase |
$500,000 |
|
4420001000 |
55415011 |
Salaries and Benefits - Transfers In |
Increase |
$400,000 |
|
4420001000 |
55415013 |
Services and Supplies - Transfers In |
Increase |
$500,000 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The County has been a party to several national opioid litigation settlements with Opioid Settlement Defendants for their involvement in the opioid crisis across the country. To date, the County has secured approximately $53,452,273 in settlement funds and anticipates receiving additional disbursements spread over an 18-year period to combat the effects of the opioid crisis.
On July 11, 2023 (Item No. 21), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the County OSF Expenditure Plan allocating $23,500,000 in available opioid settlement funding toward the following three strategic initiatives: Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) substance abuse disorder (SUD) Services Initiative ($2,100,000), Department of Public Health’s Opioid Response Initiative ($1,400,000), and DBH’s SUD Withdrawal Management/Residential Facility Infrastructure Support ($20,000,000).
On July 23, 2024 (Item No. 27), the Board approved a revision to the County OSF Expenditure Plan allocating $21,209,602 in available opioid settlement funding toward the following three strategic initiatives: DBH’s SUD Services Initiative ($5,218,083), DPH’s Opioid Response Initiative ($1,542,000), and DBH’s SUD Withdrawal Management/Residential Facility Infrastructure Support ($14,116,519).
On January 14, 2025 (Item No. 29), the Board approved a revision to the County OSF Expenditure Plan allocating $1,039,930 in available opioid settlement funds toward the addition of three positions: two Health Education Specialist I’s and one Public Health Program Coordinator to support the DPH Friday Night Light initiative ($964,930) which is part of the DPH’s Opioid Response Initiative, and a $75,000 increase for Human Services Administration to provide administrative support and oversight.
On May 6, 2025 (Item No. 11), the Board approved the 2024-25 Budget Adjustments for increased hospital expenses for Arrowhead Regional Medical Center and added the Sheriff’s MAT Services Initiative to the OSF Expenditure Plan. This included an increase in the planned expenditure amount by $1,000,000, from $22,249,532 to $23,249,532, to support the Sheriff’s MAT Services Initiative.
On August 19, 2025 (Item No. 26), the Board approved a revision to the County OSF Expenditure Plan increasing the amount for 2025-26 by $1,101,534, from $23,249,532 to $24,351,066 to support DBH’s SUD Services Initiative, including the new Recovery Residence Expansion Project ($487,819), and an increase of $945,653 to the Targeted Overdose Prevention and Outreach program for opioid advertising and prevention materials and the addition of two positions: a Mental Health Clinic Supervisor and an Alcohol and Drug Counselor. These increases to DBH SUD Services Initiatives were offset primarily by a decrease to DPH’s Opioid Response Initiative. In addition, the Sheriff’s Department requested $500,000 to expand its MAT program, including establishing a contract with a community provider.
This request increases the MAT Services Initiative by $900,000, bringing the total funding to $2,400,000, and expanding the Sheriff’s MAT program which provides opioid medication to incarcerated individuals. The increase is driven by rising pharmaceutical costs and will fund clinical staff who directly administer medication within correctional facilities, as well as costs of opioid medication.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Charles Phan, Supervising Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 19, 2026; Behavioral Health (Tan Suphavarodom, Deputy Director, 388-0826) on March 17, 2026; Public Health (Janki Patel, Acting Director, 387-9146) on March 19, 2026; Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator (Carolina Mendoza, Chief Deputy Director, 387-0640) on March 17, 2026; Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector (Charlene Huang, Manager, 382-7022) on March 23, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Chris Lange, Deputy Director, 386-8393, Iliana Rodriguez, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392, and Erika Rodarte, Administrative Analyst, 387-4919) on March 25, 2026.