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THE CLIENT
Cabarrus County, NC, located in the south-central part of the state, is the ninth most populous county in North Carolina with a population around 226,000 people as of the 2020 census. It stands to receive approximately $22 million in opioid settlement funds over the next 18 years.
BACKGROUND
Cabarrus County engaged HMA to support the development of a strategic plan that will guide the use of the County’s opioid settlement funds. In partnership with applicable cities and municipalities, the collaborative planning process provided opportunities to engage the community—both professionals working in and around the opioid space as well as those with lived experience—to hear the needs of residents, understand current services offered and existing strengths, and explore barriers to accessing care.
APPROACH
HMA supported all aspects of this project – from process design to research to stakeholder engagement. Below is a brief summary of the key areas of HMA’s support:
Process Design
HMA met with Cabarrus County’s Assistant County Manager, Dr. Aalece Pugh, early in the process to finalize the strategic planning approach, establish protocols for project management and oversight, and identify stakeholders to engage.
Stakeholder Engagement
HMA coordinated and facilitated a series of stakeholder engagement efforts to solicit feedback from key constituencies. HMA facilitated a series of interviews and 14 focus groups – including four focus groups with individuals with lived and living experience. HMA also designed, administered, and analyzed a community survey that received 250+ responses.
Decision-Making
Overseeing the planning process was a team of county leaders – called the Community Response Team – that included representatives from the board of commissioners, county administration, behavioral health, emergency medical services, and the county jail. HMA facilitated four meetings of this group to review data, discuss stakeholder engagement findings, and prioritize strategies to fund.
Deliverable Development and Presentation
Based on the input from the Community Response Team, HMA developed a robust strategic plan deliverable. In addition to developing the document, HMA also supported a presentation to the Board of Commissioners seeking approval of the plan. SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE HMA assembled a team that was uniquely qualified to support this work. The team included individuals with the functional strategic planning and stakeholder engagement expertise required to complete this work, as well as subject matter experts in medications for addiction treatment and harm reduction which proved valuable. HMA’s team also included individuals with a depth of county government experience in North Carolina. They were responsive and worked together seamlessly to provide high-quality support throughout the engagement. HMA provided a clear plan and direction to successfully accomplish Cabarrus County’s intended goals, while also demonstrating an ability to adapt as needs and circumstances changed.
TESTIMONIAL
“Nine months ago, and through a rigorous and competitive selection process, HMA was selected to lead our opioid settlement strategic planning efforts. I am very pleased with the final product and the work of HMA’s team of professionals to help Cabarrus develop a strategic roadmap. HMA’s levels of professionalism, expertise, and engagement were above reproach.”
Dr. Aalece Pugh, Assistant County Manager, Cabarrus County Government
RESULTS
The final deliverable was a five-year Opioid Settlement Collaborative Strategic Plan. Cabarrus County wanted to assure that the voice of the community, persons with lived experience, providers, and key stakeholders were elevated to inform the final priorities. T he document provides an overview of the crisis and settlement funds, highlights the strategic planning process and input received, and describes the prioritized strategies and implementation plan. The strategic plan will serve as a guide for the use of opioid settlement funds for years to come, providing a clear roadmap while offering enough flexibility to make adjustments as the crisis continues to evolve. The plan was presented and approved by the Board of Commissioners in June 2024. The plan document can be viewed at cabarrus-county-strategic-plan-opioidsettlements.pdf (cabarruscounty.us)
THE CLIENT
Cabarrus County, NC, located in the south-central part of the state, is the ninth most populous county in North Carolina with a population around 226,000 people as of the 2020 census. It stands to receive approximately $22 million in opioid settlement funds over the next 18 years.
BACKGROUND
Cabarrus County engaged HMA to support the development of a strategic plan that will guide the use of the County’s opioid settlement funds. In partnership with applicable cities and municipalities, the collaborative planning process provided opportunities to engage the community—both professionals working in and around the opioid space as well as those with lived experience—to hear the needs of residents, understand current services offered and existing strengths, and explore barriers to accessing care.
APPROACH
HMA supported all aspects of this project – from process design to research to stakeholder engagement. Below is a brief summary of the key areas of HMA’s support:
Process Design
HMA met with Cabarrus County’s Assistant County Manager, Dr. Aalece Pugh, early in the process to finalize the strategic planning approach, establish protocols for project management and oversight, and identify stakeholders to engage.
Stakeholder Engagement
HMA coordinated and facilitated a series of stakeholder engagement efforts to solicit feedback from key constituencies. HMA facilitated a series of interviews and 14 focus groups – including four focus groups with individuals with lived and living experience. HMA also designed, administered, and analyzed a community survey that received 250+ responses.
Decision-Making
Overseeing the planning process was a team of county leaders – called the Community Response Team – that included representatives from the board of commissioners, county administration, behavioral health, emergency medical services, and the county jail. HMA facilitated four meetings of this group to review data, discuss stakeholder engagement findings, and prioritize strategies to fund.
Deliverable Development and Presentation
Based on the input from the Community Response Team, HMA developed a robust strategic plan deliverable. In addition to developing the document, HMA also supported a presentation to the Board of Commissioners seeking approval of the plan. SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE HMA assembled a team that was uniquely qualified to support this work. The team included individuals with the functional strategic planning and stakeholder engagement expertise required to complete this work, as well as subject matter experts in medications for addiction treatment and harm reduction which proved valuable. HMA’s team also included individuals with a depth of county government experience in North Carolina. They were responsive and worked together seamlessly to provide high-quality support throughout the engagement. HMA provided a clear plan and direction to successfully accomplish Cabarrus County’s intended goals, while also demonstrating an ability to adapt as needs and circumstances changed.
TESTIMONIAL
“Nine months ago, and through a rigorous and competitive selection process, HMA was selected to lead our opioid settlement strategic planning efforts. I am very pleased with the final product and the work of HMA’s team of professionals to help Cabarrus develop a strategic roadmap. HMA’s levels of professionalism, expertise, and engagement were above reproach.”
Dr. Aalece Pugh, Assistant County Manager, Cabarrus County Government
RESULTS
The final deliverable was a five-year Opioid Settlement Collaborative Strategic Plan. Cabarrus County wanted to assure that the voice of the community, persons with lived experience, providers, and key stakeholders were elevated to inform the final priorities. T he document provides an overview of the crisis and settlement funds, highlights the strategic planning process and input received, and describes the prioritized strategies and implementation plan. The strategic plan will serve as a guide for the use of opioid settlement funds for years to come, providing a clear roadmap while offering enough flexibility to make adjustments as the crisis continues to evolve. The plan was presented and approved by the Board of Commissioners in June 2024. The plan document can be viewed at cabarrus-county-strategic-plan-opioidsettlements.pdf (cabarruscounty.us)
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