Representatives from Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser’s Office presented an overview of the office’s rural outreach, opioid-settlement administration, youth mental-health initiatives and related grant programs to the Ag Behavioral Health Working Group at its September meeting.

The presentation, delivered by Ally Daley, director of youth mental health initiatives, and Mindy Bumgardner, the AG’s rural outreach specialist in the Division of Community Engagement, described how the Department of Law and the AG’s Division of Community Engagement (DCE) use litigation proceeds and settlement funds to make grants and run statewide programs that include rural outreach and bilingual engagement.

The overview emphasized the state’s opioid-settlement structure and accountability. “Colorado is on track to receive over $880,000,000 in opioid settlement funds,” Bumgardner said, and described how the Colorado MOU distributes those funds among local and regional shares. She told the working group that, under the current split, most money returns to local jurisdictions: local governments may retain their share or route it to regional opioid abatement councils; regional councils have requested more than $111 million to date. Bumgardner also said the state will open two funding opportunities in October totaling more than $20 million from the infrastructure and state shares, and that infrastructure awards may cover capital expenses where the state share may not.

Daley outlined how the AG’s office uses settlements to seed community grants and litigation work to address youth mental-health risks. She described pending litigation and investigations the office is pursuing involving social media platforms and vaping companies, and said the state recovered close to $30 million from JUUL that was distributed to communities to reduce youth vaping. Daley said the AG’s grants-and-partnerships unit has grown its distributed funds from roughly $2 million in FY2023 to nearly $18 million in the current year.

The presenters also discussed Safe2Tell, a statewide anonymous reporting resource for students and community members. Daley described training and a student ambassador program that helps rebrand and steer the program; she noted the ambassador application deadline was imminent.

Bumgardner highlighted the office’s rural and Spanish-language outreach, including a monthly convening that connects Spanish-speaking community organizations and state agencies. She said the DCE aims to link rural leaders to state resources and that staff can connect working-group members to regional opioid-abatement contacts and other programs.

Working-group members asked for more connections to local grassroots organizations serving Latino and immigrant communities. Mindy Bumgardner said she would share contact information and follow up to connect staff and community groups that were not yet in the AG’s outreach networks.

The AG presenters provided URLs and newsletter signup information (to be posted by the AG office) for grant opportunities, the opioid fund dashboard, and Safe2Tell resources so rural providers and counties can see awardees and apply for upcoming funding rounds.

The presentation concluded with questions from working-group members about program reach in rural and tribal communities and how to report fraud; the presenters advised members to use the AG’s online complaint resources and said they would share contact emails in chat and follow-up messages.

The AG representatives did not propose or vote on policy during the meeting; their appearance was informational and aimed at improving interagency outreach and grant participation.

Ending: The AG office invited working-group members to contact the Division of Community Engagement with questions and to apply to upcoming grant opportunities; presenters said they hoped to attend the group’s November summit in Monte Vista and would provide follow-up links and contacts.