COLORADO REGION 5 OPIOID ABATEMENT COUNCIL

Quarterly Progress Report | Strategic Plan Years 3-4

Reporting Period: 1/1/26-3/31/26

Region 5 Fiscal Agent:

Eagle County Public Health & Environment

Name and Contact of Individual Preparing Report:

Karina Schorr | Region 5 Opioid Abatement Council Administrator, ECPHE | karina.schorr@eaglecounty.us | 970-328-9811

1. Overview

Project Accomplishments

The full Region 5 Opioid Abatement Council met on February 18, 2026. Agenda items and key decision points below:

  • Administrative Items

    • Mason Hohstadt was unanimously elected as the second Co-Chair, filling a long-vacant seat.

    • Voting members agreed to switch the official posting webpage of the ROAC from the eaglecounty.us/opioids page to the Region5OpioidCouncil.org website, which also serves as the public-facing dashboard location. All future public notices, links, and funding announcements will be made there

  • Contractor Updates

    • No major discussions; project updates available in Contractor Progress & Outcomes sections.

  • Executive Committee Proposal

    • Executive Committee Proposal

      • The Council voted to form an Executive Committee that will meet regularly to provide administrative and strategic support for the ROAC. The first meeting was held on March 23, 2026. Links to those notes can be found here: Executive Committee

  • RFP Awardees

    • The applicants below were evaluated and selected for funding by two separate committees. Their recommendations were conveyed to the voting members and subsequently unanimously supported.

      • Youth Programming

        • Access AfterSchool - $30,000

        • Focused Kids - $30,000

        • Full Circle of Lake County - $30,000

        • Elevated Community Health- $30,000

        • Mountain Family Health Centers - $20,000

        • Stepping Stones - $30,000

      • Treatment & Recovery

        • A Way Out - $448,500

        • Hard Beauty - $51,500

Challenges & Barriers

At the submission of this report, Eagle County, as fiscal agent, was navigating some new policies and liability concerns regarding the fiscal agent role. The Colorado Opioid MOU as a guiding document is heavily limited in some ways when specifying governance approaches. However, drawing on support from the Eagle County Attorney’s Office, Attorney General’s Opioid Response Unit team, and the newly formed Executive Committee, the work is moving forward. In particular, the Executive Committee will be reviewing the draft Policy & Procedure Manual.

Council Changes

During this reporting period, the Eagle County voting member, Commissioner Jeanne McQueeny, delegated the voting member role to Heath Harmon, Director of Public Health & Environment. McQueeny is now listed as a proxy voting member alongside Commissioner Matt Scherr.

2. Contractor Progress & Outcomes

Anti-Stigma & Education Campaign | Effct LLC

Deliverable Status

Data Gathered/Reach

In this reporting period, the Community Compass campaign continued to publish and sponsor digital content in all 5 counties of Region 5. Data on the campaign reach and performance during this reporting period can be found in this document: Community_Compass_Q1_2026_Report.pdf

Accomplishments

During this reporting period, Effct began researching, developing, and recommending placements for physical advertisements. To date, most of the campaign content has been distributed via digital spaces. Moving forward, the workgroup is focusing on placements across the county where residents can encounter the messaging in-person. Prospective placements include billboards, bus ads, and in community spaces like libraries and grocery stores. A more thorough report on the exact placements will be added to future reports.

  • Content featured this quarter:

    • January - Pathways to Recovery

      • Recovery Capital

      • Featured Community Member: Jeanette Gaines

    • February - Overdose Awareness & Prevention

      • Identifying an Overdose

      • Overdose Postvention

      • Featured Community Member: Brittney

    • March - Overdose Awareness & Pathways to Recovery

      • How to prevent an overdose

      • Featured Community Member: David Lehr

    • Upcoming Content

      • April: Pathways to Recovery (cont)

      • May: Affordability of care & Pathways

Challenges/Barriers/Changes

No challenges to report during this period.

Harm Reduction | High Rockies Harm Reduction

Deliverable Status

Data Gathered/Reach

  • View the full HRHR 2026 Q1 Data spreadsheet here: 1.1-3.31 2026 HRHR Distro.xlsx

    • During this reporting period, High Rockies Harm Reduction (HRHR) distributed the following supplies across Region 5:

      • Nasal spray Naloxone: 149

      • Intramuscular Naloxone: 5

      • Fentanyl Test Strips: 145

      • Xylazine Test Strips: 70

      • Benzo Test Strips: 10

      • Nitazene Test Strips: 10

      • Medetomidine Test Strips: 10

      • Methamphetamine Test Strips: 15

      • Syringes Out (distributed to participants): 692

      • Syringes In (used syringes collected and disposed by HRHR): 0

      • IV Kits: 32

      • Sterile Snorting Kits: 18

      • Sterile Pipes: 43

      • Sexual Risk Reduction Items: 206

      • Personal Hygiene Items (toothbrushes, soap, combs, etc.): 13

      • Wound Care Items: 70

      • Food & Water: 19

    • Participant Interactions

      • Eagle County: 14

      • Garfield County: 17

      • Lake County: 0

      • Pitkin County: 9

      • Summit County: 0

Accomplishments

  • HRHR began utilizing the vans during this reporting period to increase services throughout the region.

Challenges/Barriers/Changes

  • One of the vans is experiencing some electrical issues with inaccurate codes being shown on the interface and the heater not functioning. HRHR will take the van to Denver for repairs, which should be covered under the VanLife Customs warranty.

Data Dashboard | The OMNI Institute

Deliverable Status

Data Gathered/Reach

  • During this reporting period, the dashboard attracted 280 unique visitors.

    • The top five visited pages (besides Home):

    • Social Determinants of Health

    • Key Outcomes

    • Mental Health

    • Who We Are

    • Overview

Accomplishments

  • The Data Dashboard workgroup is continuing with internal support. Workgroup members have had some time to grapple with the next steps and the current version of the dashboard. Overall, a desire for the navigation to be more user-friendly was communicated to OMNI, who was exploring some options.

Challenges/Barriers/Changes

  • The internal direction of the workgroup is somewhat unclear. Capacity issues led the group to postpone the planned stakeholder engagement sessions until a later date.

  • Overall, there is a sense that bringing OMNI back in to help facilitate and strategize around the future of the dashboard may be a valuable option for the full Council to consider. OMNI was contacted during this time period regarding a potential quote for this expert organization to further lead this work.

3. Financial Status

R5OAC Funding Tracker Awarded vs Received and Allocated.

TOTAL AWARDED AMOUNT: $ 2,697,339.44

This information may differ compared to what is available on the COAG opioid Regional Share website due to braided funding tracking and update schedules.

Total Allocated Funds per Priority Area 2023-2026

  • Prevention – $ 728,950.00

    • Anti-Stigma/Education Campaign - Effct LLC: $558,950.00

    • Youth Programming Mini-Grants: $170,000.00

  • Harm Reduction - High Rockies Harm Reduction: $707,015.72 (Regional and Infrastructure Shares)

  • Treatment/Recovery – $710,468.80

    • Mind Springs Medically Managed Withdrawal Facility: $31,000

    • Regional Detention Centers MAT: $79,888.28

      • Garfield County: $38,400.00

      • Summit County: $41,488.28

    • Treatment/Recovery RFP: $500,000.00

    • Lake County Treatment Access: $20,000.00

    • General Treatment (use TBD) - $79,580.52

  • Leadership, Planning & Coordination – $509,976.65

    • Data Dashboard - OMNI: $167,500.00

    • Staffing: $325,593.00

      • Infrastructure Grant (to support Karina Schorr’s position in 2024-25): $135,000.00

      • Regional Share (will support Karina Schorr’s position in 2025-2026): $190,593.00

    • COAG Conference Room, Board & Travel costs for Council members: $16,883.03

      • Regional Share (expensed in 2024): $5,148.62

      • McKinsey Subdivision Settlement (to cover expenses in 2025 & 2026): $11,735.03

  • Administrative – Fiscal Agent Treasury Fees 2023-26: $40,928.27

    • Infrastructure Share: $15,000.00

    • Regional Share: $25,928.27

Expenses

Total Expenses to Date: $1,333,599.99

1/01/26-3/31/26 Expenses: $109,096.37

  • High Rockies Harm Reduction

    • Invoice 1 amount: $$51,614.56

      • Submitted 1/1/26

      • Description: Remaining conversion costs for Ford Transits

    • Invoice 2 amount: $22,718.81 (Infrastructure and Regional Share)

      • Submitted: 2/20/26

      • Description: Staff Salaries, Mileage, Tires & Registration for Ford Transits, Indirect

  • The OMNI Institute

    • Total quarterly expense amount: $7,500.00

      • Submitted: 1/31/26, 2/28/26, 3/31/26

        • Amount: $2,500

      • Description: Ongoing maintenance of dashboard and website

  • Effct LLC

    • Invoice amount: $27,263.00

    • Submitted: 4/07/26

    • Description: Ads Investment, Website Maintenance, Labor

4. Sustainability

Community-Based Partnerships

The Region is pleased to expand our list of contracted partners, including organizations based in the high-need areas of Leadville and Western Garfield County.

A significant part of A Way Out’s contract involves building relationships with community partners, particularly in Eagle, Lake and Summit counties. Updates on those efforts will be made available when the contract is finalized next quarter.

Funding Prioritization

No changes to funding prioritization during this time.

5. Successes and Lessons Learned

Successes

The contracts with A Way Out and Hard Beauty mark the Region’s first sustained efforts at supporting Treatment and Recovery initiatives. Both of these organizations being peer-led and community-based is a testament to how opioid settlement funds can support solutions rooted in lived experience.

Lessons Learned

There continues to be a need for a strong policy foundation in the Region work - the Colorado Opioid MOU is only 20 pages of guidance for nearly 1 billion dollars dispersed over a 20-year period. Situations continue to arise that require thoughtful and intentional guidance, and the formation of an Executive Committee will be crucial in developing these policies.

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