ABOUT US

The AAC supports and promotes the idea that all elected officials must have the opportunity to act together in order to solve mutual problems as a unified group. To further this goal, the AAC is committed to providing a single source of cooperative support and information for all counties and county and district officials. The overall purpose of the AAC is to work for the improvement of county government in the state of Arkansas. The association accomplishes this purpose by providing legislative representation, on-site assistance, general research, training, various publications and conferences to assist county officials in carrying out the duties and responsibilities of their office.

The Arkansas Municipal League was founded in 1934 and exists for a threefold purpose:

• • to act as the official representative of Arkansas cities and towns before the state and federal governments; 
  • to provide a clearinghouse for information and answers; and, 
  • to offer a forum for discussion and sharing of mutual concerns.

• 1.  The Partnership seeks a shared framework for disbursing opioid abatement funds. Abatement efforts will be most effective if Arkansas governments unite and work cooperatively together, as they have in opioid litigation, on behalf of the people.
• 2. The Partnership should seek to use limited funds to supplement and expand existing public and private abatement efforts and funding, rather than supplanting or duplicating existing abatement efforts and funding.
• 3. The Partnership should fund public and private evidence-based projects, and funded projects should be evaluated for effectiveness moving forward, with ongoing funding contingent on demonstrated effectiveness as appropriate.
• 4. The Partnership should fund public and private programs and strategies that abate the opioid epidemic at the community and family levels.
• 5. The Partnership should support diversion from arrest/incarceration and should support access to peer support and treatment in correctional settings.
• 6. The Partnership should fund anti-stigma programs and involve communities in education and prevention efforts.
• 7. Priority should be given to evidence-based and evidence-informed prevention, treatment, recovery, or harm reduction programs, services, supports, and resources.
• 8. The Partnership should ensure diversity of representation and funding, including racial and geographic diversity, including people with lived experience, and including less populated and geographically isolated communities.
• 9. The Partnership will operate with all reasonable transparency.

The Arkansas Opioids MOU
An agreement among the cities, counties, and state under which the governments split opioid settlement funds equally, with 1/3 going to each. The governments also agree under the MOU to spend abatement funds for “approved purposes,” defined on p. 1-2 of the MOU.
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Distribution Agreements
The cities and counties distribution agreements (substantively the same), under which the cities and counties formed ARORP together and established a mission statement, guidelines for ARORP, and guidelines for applicants. The city/county distribution agreements are exhibits to the MOU.
View Cities Document
View Counties Document

Use of Funding Guidelines
Exhibit E to the national settlement with opioid distributors—a detailed list of approved opioid remediation uses for spending opioid funds. This is a more detailed explanation of approved expenditures, like the “approved purposes” in the Arkansas Opioids MOU.
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The order establishing the Arkansas Qualified Settlement Fund (QSF)—this is the court case and order establishing the QSF that will receive Arkansas city/county settlement funds and appointing the QSF administrator (Ed Gentle) who will write checks to fund approved projects.
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