IRETA Executive Director, Dr. Eric Hulsey, recently presented at the National Opioid Settlement Conference, held June 17–19, 2026, in Denver, Colorado. The conference brought together leaders from across the country who are responsible for managing and implementing opioid settlement funding in their states and communities.
On June 18, Dr. Hulsey co-presented the workshop, “Making Settlement Funds Count: Using the OSPRI Tool to Guide Overdose Prevention Planning Efforts”, alongside Augusta Gribetz, Program Director for the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Overdose Response.
The 90-minute session introduced attendees to the Opioid Settlement Principles Resource and Indicators (OSPRI) tool, a planning resource designed to help jurisdictions move from broad goals to targeted, evidence-informed overdose prevention strategies. The workshop highlighted how OSPRI can support states, counties, and local communities in identifying effective interventions, selecting meaningful measures of success, and communicating progress related to opioid settlement investments.
More than 60 participants attended the session, representing states including Texas, Arizona, Maryland, and many others. Participants included professionals serving in a variety of roles related to the management and oversight of opioid settlement funds.
In addition to learning about the OSPRI framework, attendees participated in an interactive exercise designed to demonstrate how the tool can be used in real-world planning efforts. Working through practical scenarios, participants explored how OSPRI can help communities identify indicators to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of overdose prevention programs and initiatives.
The workshop also provided an opportunity for attendees to discuss challenges they face in measuring outcomes and to ask questions about implementing evidence-based approaches within their own jurisdictions.
As communities across the country continue to invest opioid settlement dollars, tools such as OSPRI can help ensure that funding decisions are aligned with evidence-based practices and that jurisdictions are equipped to measure the impact of their investments over time.
IRETA remains committed to supporting states, counties, and communities in making strategic, data-informed decisions that strengthen behavioral health systems and improve outcomes for individuals affected by substance use disorders.
Communities seeking additional support in planning, implementing, and evaluating opioid settlement-funded initiatives are encouraged to explore IRETA’s Opioid Settlements Technical Assistance page for practical resources, tools, and examples from across the country.
