About
Why we created this website
States and localities are in the process of distributing at least $50 billion awarded through opioid-related lawsuits. Throughout the country, decision makers at the state and local level are working to identify priorities for reducing opioid-related deaths and using these funds to support prevention, treatment, and recovery support efforts. Those decisions are being made with finite funding and immediate needs, and in most cases without reliable information about what comparable communities have tried, how much those efforts cost to operate, or the local impact.
This project documents innovative approaches that states, regions, and local communities are using to meet common challenges. Each profile is developed through direct interviews with the staff administering the program. The case studies document the challenge each initiative was designed to solve, the partners involved, the operating budget, and the lessons learned through implementation.
How to use this site
In advance of a funding decision
Reviewing how a comparable community developed the program, what it cost to operate, and where implementation proved difficult allows a jurisdiction to assess feasibility before committing funds.
During implementation
Each profile identifies the individuals and organizations responsible for the program. Communities interested in adapting a model may request no-cost training and technical assistance from the Opioid Response Network (ORN), which will connect them with a consultant experienced in that area.
Funded By
Opioid Response Network
This project is supported by the Opioid Response Network (ORN), a national coalition providing free training and education to address opioid, stimulant, and all substance use disorders. Led by the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry in collaboration with SAMHSA, ORN works with government agencies, community organizations, and individual practitioners across all 50 states and territories.
ORN operates from a core belief that substance use disorders are treatable illnesses and that communities should have access to locally relevant, evidence-based support at no cost. Opioid Settlement Works was built in that same spirit: to help communities put their settlement resources to work with confidence.
Built By
Rulo Strategies
Rulo Strategies is a woman-owned firm that works with states, counties, and nonprofits on criminal justice and behavioral health programs. Since 2020, the firm has partnered with organizations in 32 states on program design, implementation, and evaluation.
The name is inspired by the Reuleaux triangle, the shape formed where three overlapping circles intersect. It reflects the intersection of ideas and collaboration across systems.
Meet the Rulo Team
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Tara Kunkel, MSW
Executive Director
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Kristina Bryant, MBA
Senior Director
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Rebecca Rose, MPA
Senior Director
Related Initiative
Justice & Behavioral Health Knowledge Exchange
The Justice Behavioral Health (JBH) Knowledge Exchange is a Rulo Strategies initiative focused on the intersection of criminal justice and behavioral health. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, the JBH Knowledge Exchange supports communities in strengthening their response to substance use and public safety challenges through peer learning, training, and no-cost technical assistance.
While Opioid Settlement Works focuses specifically on how communities are deploying settlement funds, the JBH Knowledge Exchange addresses the broader landscape of justice-involved treatment, reentry support, and cross-system coordination. The two resources are designed to be used together.
Get in touch
Questions about the project, corrections to a case study, or interest in being profiled? We want to hear from you.