The Oklahoma Attorney General's Office is encouraging public schools, technology centers and state higher education institutions to apply for its latest round of grants supported by opioid settlement funds.
The grants, awarded by the Opioid Abatement Board, are intended to reduce opioid misuse and overdose deaths. Individual grant amounts will range from $105,000 to $900,000 over three years, depending on the type of institution applying and its population size.
Previous grants have supported a range of projects.
Moore Public Schools used the money to create an alternative-to-suspension program that keeps students on track when they get sent home for substance-related suspensions. Norman Public Schools used the money to create additional resources for struggling students. Other school districts have used the money to provide substance abuse prevention lessons.
Approved uses must align with one of eight priority strategies defined by the board, including school-based prevention programs, family skills training and naloxone distribution.
Money for the grants comes from lawsuits against drugmakers, wholesalers, pharmacies and other businesses that contributed to the opioid epidemic. Oklahoma has been awarded at least $920 million in settlement agreements, according to the Attorney General's Office.
Lawsuits from state, local and tribal governments alleged that the drug companies used deceptive marketing tactics, misrepresented opioids' addictiveness and promoted the medicine without adequately disclosing its danger.
At the peak of the crisis in Oklahoma in 2023, 810 people died of opioid-related overdoses in a single year.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who chairs the Opioid Abatement Board, said schools are often the "first line of defense" when it comes to protecting young Oklahomans from the dangers of opioids.
"This funding puts real resources in the hands of educators who see these challenges up close every day," Drummond said.
So far, the board reports distributing nearly $42 million in grants to more than 150 political subdivisions, including cities, counties and schools across the state. Colleges and universities became eligible for the funds in 2025, after lawmakers passed Senate Bill 574.
The most recent round of grants was awarded in August, totaling $12 million to 24 recipients. Before that, the board reports awarding:
While schools or school districts may not have a dedicated grant writer on staff, Drummond said he doesn't want them to feel dissuaded from applying. His office hired five new positions this year to help the board distribute funds.
To help prospective applicants and grantees, the Attorney General's Office started sending out monthly newsletters and created a compliance guide for those interested in opioid abatement.
Applications will be accepted through Nov. 30. The board will review submissions from Dec. 1 through Feb. 28, 2027, and is expected to announce the recipients in March or April 2027.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
