August 2025

Important Update from the Executive Office of Health and Human Services: New Reporting Requirements for Municipalities Receiving Opioid Abatement Funds

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) announced that beginning July 1, 2025, all municipalities that have received opioid abatement funds will be required to submit an annual expenditure report. Under this new requirement, every municipality, regardless of the amount of funding received or the year it was allocated, will need to report its spending. Prior to FY25, only those municipalities that received $35,000 or more were mandated to report.

This new approach allows EOHHS to establish clearer guidelines and help ensure consistent reporting across municipalities. By standardizing the reporting process, EOHHS hopes to create a more effective framework for monitoring the use of these critical resources.

Beginning this year, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) will manage the annual expenditure report. The report format has been redesigned to simplify the process for municipalities and provide a precise accounting of how opioid abatement funds are used by capturing expenditures at the line-item level. 

Municipalities opting to redirect all their opioid abatement funds to the statewide Opioid Recovery & Remediation Trust Fund (ORRF) will not be required to submit this report.

According to the State-Subdivision Agreement, EOHHS reserves the right to modify the reporting threshold for municipalities receiving opioid abatement funds. EOHHS’s decision to mandate annual expenditure reports for all municipalities aims to ensure transparency and accountability in the allocation and usage of the funds. 

Below is a Frequently Asked Questions document that provides additional details. For specific reporting inquiries, please get in touch with DPH-MunicipalOpioid-SettlementWork@mass.gov.

Reminder to Register for the Mosaic Municipal TTA Program Webinar on Annual Expenditure Reporting

Mosaic & BSAS invite municipalities to the Annual Expenditure Reporting Webinar on Monday, August 18, at 1 pm. This session is tailored for municipal representatives responsible for submitting expenditure reports.

Officials will guide attendees through the updated reporting process, highlight key changes based on past feedback, and explain how accurate reporting can enhance local fund utilization and transparency in opioid abatement efforts.

Participants will learn to:

• Understand the updated Annual Expenditure Report

• Complete and submit the report using the new guidelines

• Request individual support for report completion

• Understand how data informs planning and public accountability

Attendees will receive resources, including a guidance document with report examples and videos, plus information on scheduling one-on-one support from BSAS through Microsoft Bookings.

Please take a moment to update your contact information to ensure you receive all the latest updates and vital information from us. Accurate and current details allow us to communicate important announcements, program updates (including expenditure reporting), and learning opportunities directly to you.

You can easily update your contact information by clicking here. 

Your participation in keeping your records current is essential for maintaining a strong connection within our community. Thank you for helping us stay in touch!

Welcome Stephanie Son

The Municipal TTA team has grown! Join us in welcoming Stephanie Son to RIZE. A recent Northeastern graduate with a background in community engagement and youth development, Stephanie supports Mosaic's Municipal Training and Technical Assistance Program through database management, program event coordination, training material development, and stakeholder communication.

Great to have you on the team, Stephanie! 

About RIZE Massachusetts:

RIZE Massachusetts Foundation (RIZE) is solely dedicated to funding and collaborating on solutions to end the overdose crisis. Guided by those with lived and living experience and unafraid of new ideas, RIZE is building networks, designing programming, and supporting community partners who are using novel approaches to preventing overdose and increasing access to treatment and recovery supports. RIZE makes health equity a programmatic priority by addressing root causes such as racism, systemic barriers to care, and power imbalances. Learn more at www.rizema.org.

About Mosaic:

Mosaic Opioid Recovery Partnership (Mosaic), funded by the MA Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services and powered by RIZE, is a unique, public-private collaboration designed to fund initiatives that are addressing the opioid overdose crisis in communities and populations that have been historically underserved and have experienced a high rate of opioid-related overdose deaths. Guided by people with lived and living experience, Mosaic is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lift up and bring together the best and most promising ideas to save lives, end stigma, and improve quality of life for people living with substance use disorder. Learn more at mosaic.rizema.org.