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To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to accept funds in the amount of $619,950.00 from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority; to amend the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Special Fund Budget by creating new special funds for the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services called the “VCU Operation STOP Special Fund” and the “Operation STOP Special Fund;” to appropriate a portion of such increase to the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Special Fund Budget by increasing estimated revenues and the amount appropriated to the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services’ “VCU Operation STOP Special Fund” by $25,000.00 to fund a government to government purchase with Virginia Commonwealth University; and to appropriate a portion of such increase to the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Special Fund Budget by increasing estimated revenues and the amount appropriated to the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services’ “Operation STOP Special Fund” by $594,950.00 to provide sub-grants in the amount of $594,950 to eligible entities, all for the purpose of implementing the Authority’s Operation Specifically Targeted Overdose Prevention program to combat the opioid crisis.
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THE CITY OF RICHMOND HEREBY ORDAINS:
§ 1. That the Chief Administrative officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, is hereby authorized to accept funds in the amount of $619,950.00 from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority, for the purpose of implementing the Authority’s Operation Specifically Targeted Overdose Prevention program to combat the opioid crisis.
§ 2. That Article I, Section 2 of Ordinance No. 2025-057 , adopted May 12, 2025, which adopted a Special Fund Budget for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026, and made appropriations pursuant thereto, be and is hereby amended by creating a new special fund in the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services called the “VCU Operation STOP Special Fund” to fund a government to government purchase from Virginia Commonwealth University for the purpose of implementing the Authority’s Operation Specifically Targeted Overdose Prevention program to combat the opioid crisis.
§ 3. That Article I, Section 2 of Ordinance No. 2025-057 , adopted May 12, 2025, which adopted a Special Fund Budget for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026, and made appropriations pursuant thereto, be and is hereby amended by creating a new special fund in the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services called the “Operation STOP Special Fund” to provide sub-grants to eligible entities for the purpose of implementing the Authority’s Operation Specifically Targeted Overdose Prevention program to combat the opioid crisis.
§ 4. That the funds received from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority are hereby appropriated to the Special Fund Budget for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026, by (i) increasing estimated revenues by $619,950.00, (ii) increasing the amount appropriated for expenditures by $619,950.00, (iii) allotting to the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services’ special fund created by section 2 of this ordinance the sum of $25,000.00, to fund a government to government purchase from Virginia Commonwealth University, and (iv) allotting to the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services’ special fund created by section 3 of this ordinance the sum of $594,950.00 to provide sub-grants to eligible entities, all for the purpose of implementing the Authority’s Operation Specifically Targeted Overdose Prevention program to combat the opioid crisis.
§ 5. This ordinance shall be in force and effect upon adoption.
City of Richmond
Intracity Correspondence
O&R Transmittal
DATE: December 12, 2025
TO: The Honorable Members of City Council
THROUGH: The Honorable Danny Avula, Mayor
THROUGH: Odie Donald II, Chief Administrative Officer
THROUGH: Tanikia Jackson, DCAO for Finance and Administration
THROUGH: Letitia Shelton, Director of Finance
THROUGH: Meghan Brown, Director of Budget and Strategic Planning
THROUGH: Amy Popovich, DCAO for Human Services
FROM: Jason Alley, Policy Advisor
RE: To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, accept funds in the amount of $619,950.00 from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority for the funding the Operation Specifically Targeted Overdose Prevention (STOP) initiative.
ORD. OR RES. No.
PURPOSE: To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to accept funds in the amount of $619,950.00 from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority; to amend the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Special Fund Budget by creating new special funds for the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services called the “VCU Operation STOP Special Fund” and the “Operation STOP Special Fund;” to appropriate a portion of such increase to the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Special Fund Budget by increasing estimated revenues and the amount appropriated to the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services’ “VCU Operation STOP Special Fund” by $25,000.00 to fund a government to government purchase with Virginia Commonwealth University; and to appropriate a portion of such increase to the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Special Fund Budget by increasing estimated revenues and the amount appropriated to the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services’ “Operation STOP Special Fund” by $594,950.00 to provide sub-grants in the amount of $594,950 to eligible entities, all for the purpose of implementing the Authority’s Operation Specifically Targeted Overdose Prevention program to combat the opioid crisis.
BACKGROUND: Virginia’s Opioid Abatement Authority is an independent body, the purpose of which is to abate and remediate the opioid epidemic in the Commonwealth through financial support from the Fund, in the form of grants, donations, or other assistance, for efforts to treat, prevent, and reduce opioid use disorder and the misuse of opioids in the Commonwealth. The Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority has an annual application cycle for Virginia localities to propose projects to draw down funds from their allotted individual funds. On July 7th, 2025 the City of Richmond was notified by the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority that the City’s application to obtain $619,950.00 to fund the City’s Operation STOP initiative has been approved at the requested funding value for fiscal year 2026.
The primary focus of Operation STOP is for cities and counties to implement an immediate short-term education/prevention program to reduce overdoses and deaths, while assisting the community in the development of a strategy to use other opioid settlement funds for long-term opioid abatement projects.
An award of $619,950.00 has been granted to the City of Richmond to provide $594,950.00 in subgrants to community partners and appropriate $25,000.00 of funds to Virginia Commonwealth University pursuant to a government-to-government purchase, to implement an immediate short-term education/prevention program to reduce overdoses and deaths, while assisting the community in the development of a strategy to use other opioid settlement funds for long-term opioid abatement projects.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Opioid abatement and remediation strategies utilized by the City of Richmond have and continue to be informed by significant stakeholder engagement and developed with direct input and support from external agencies and subject matter experts, including the Richmond Opioid Task Force.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL: RES. 2022-R013 declaring opioid drug overdose deaths as a public health crisis in the City of Richmond; Richmond Opioid Task Force
FISCAL IMPACT: The funds used for this project are from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority. This will decrease the Special Fund Budget by $619,950.00. There is no city match requirement.
DESIRED EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon adoption
REQUESTED INTRODUCTION DATE: January 12, 2026
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING DATE: January 26, 2026
REQUESTED AGENDA: Consent agenda
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL COMMITTEE: Finance and Economic Development
AFFECTED AGENCIES: Budget and Strategic Planning, Finance, Neighborhood and Community Services
RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ORD. OR RES.: Res. No. 2018-R094; Ord. No. 2021-234; Res. No. 2021-R078; Resolution 2022-R013; Res. No. 2023-R010; Ord. No. 2025-057
ATTACHMENTS: Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority Summary of Grant Recommendations to OAA Grants Committee; FY26 City of Richmond Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority Proposal Summary; Operation STOP announcement
STAFF: Anna Jones, Opioid Response Strategist, 804-987-9160, anna.jones@rva.gov <mailto:anna.jones@rva.gov>
Jason Alley, Policy Advisor, 804-401-5863, jason.alley@rva.gov <mailto:jason.alley@rva.gov>