Texas Awards $48.9 Million in Opioid Settlement Grants to Expand Treatment Access

Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock announced Thursday that the Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council has voted to award 80 grants totaling $48.9 million to entities across the state. The funding, drawn from the state's share of national opioid settlement agreements, will support community-based addiction treatment, recovery services, and prevention programs in both urban centers and rural communities.

The grants represent one of the largest single distributions of opioid settlement funds in Texas since the state began receiving payments from pharmaceutical company settlements. Individual awards range from smaller community organization grants to substantial allocations for regional health systems, with maximum awards reaching $750,000 for three-year projects.

Major Recipients and Regional Impact

Among the significant grantees, Texas A&M Health Science Center received approximately $5.8 million distributed across ten locations statewide for "treatment and coordination of care" services. This funding will expand access to evidence-based addiction treatment in underserved regions, including rural areas where specialty care has historically been limited.

Burleson County, located in East Texas, was awarded $749,975 for recovery support services. The county's allocation reflects a broader pattern of directing settlement funds toward rural communities that have experienced disproportionate impacts from the opioid crisis but often lack adequate treatment infrastructure.

The East Texas Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse received a $750,000 grant to expand opioid response efforts in the Longview area. The organization, which serves a 23-county region, plans to use the funding to enhance treatment capacity and support services for individuals with opioid use disorder.

Other notable recipients include the Boys & Girls Club of Vernon, which received $456,900 to support youth-focused prevention and education programs, demonstrating the council's commitment to addressing opioid issues across the full spectrum of care—from prevention through treatment and recovery support.

Grant Structure and Priorities

The Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council structured the grant program to maximize regional flexibility while ensuring accountability. Grant agreements require recipients to report on outcomes and fund utilization, with the council overseeing distribution once agreements are finalized.

The funding priorities align with the state's broader opioid abatement strategy, which emphasizes:

• Treatment expansion — Increasing capacity for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and residential services
• Recovery support — Funding housing, peer support, and employment services that help sustain long-term recovery
• Prevention and education — Targeting youth and communities at elevated risk
• Rural access — Addressing geographic disparities in addiction care

Context: Texas and the National Opioid Settlement

Texas is expected to receive approximately $1.6 billion over 18 years from various opioid settlements with pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacy chains. The Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council, administered through the Comptroller's office, oversees the allocation of these funds according to a framework established by the state legislature.

The $48.9 million grant round represents a significant acceleration in the deployment of these resources. Earlier distributions focused primarily on administrative infrastructure and planning; this round shifts toward direct service expansion.

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, the state recorded over 5,000 opioid-related overdose deaths between 2020 and 2024, with synthetic opioids—primarily fentanyl—driving recent increases. Rural counties have seen some of the steepest rises in overdose mortality, often outpacing urban areas on a per-capita basis.

What This Means for Texas Families

For families seeking addiction treatment, the grant awards signal expanding capacity across multiple service types:

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT): Several grantees, including Texas A&M Health Science Center locations, will use funds to expand access to buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone—the three FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder. MAT has been shown to reduce overdose deaths by 50% or more when combined with counseling.

Recovery Housing: Burleson County and similar grantees are expected to invest in recovery housing and supportive services that provide stable environments for individuals transitioning from treatment to independent living.

Youth Prevention: Programs like the Boys & Girls Club of Vernon initiative will focus on preventing opioid misuse before it starts, targeting middle and high school students with evidence-based prevention curricula.

Rural Telehealth: Several grants include funding for telehealth infrastructure, which can connect rural residents with addiction specialists located in urban medical centers—a critical gap-filler in a state where 35 counties have no physician waivered to prescribe buprenorphine.

Looking Ahead

The Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council has indicated that additional grant rounds will follow, with funding available through at least 2040. The council is also developing outcome metrics to track the impact of settlement investments, including changes in overdose rates, treatment admission numbers, and recovery housing availability.

For Texas residents seeking help with opioid use disorder, the SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) provides free, confidential, 24/7 treatment referral and information. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission also maintains a treatment locator searchable by county and service type.

As these grants are implemented over the coming months, families in recipient communities should see expanded treatment options, shorter waitlists, and enhanced recovery support services—concrete steps toward addressing one of Texas's most pressing public health challenges.