The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County
Freddie O'Connell, Mayor
Executive Order 61
I, Freddie O'Connell, Mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, by virtue of the power and authority vested in me, do hereby proclaim, direct, and order the following:
I. Opioid use disorder and overdose continue to impose significant health, social, and economic costs on individuals, families, and communities throughout Nashville and Davidson County.
II. The Metropolitan Government, healthcare providers, community organizations, and other partners are engaged in ongoing efforts to prevent opioid misuse, reduce overdose deaths, expand access to treatment, and support recovery.
III. Nashville and Davidson County will receive funds from claims against opioid manufacturers, distributors, and other entities, which funds are intended to support opioid remediation and address the impacts of the opioid epidemic.
IV. The effective use of opioid claim funds will benefit from ongoing input from individuals with relevant professional expertise, lived experience, community knowledge, and experience providing prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery services.
V. Therefore, there is hereby created and established an Opioid Claim Advisory Committee (“Committee”) for the Metropolitan Government.
A. Composition of the Committee.
a. The Committee shall consist of eleven members appointed by the Mayor.
b. At least one member shall have lived experience with addiction, either as a person in recovery or through a close personal relationship with an individual in active addiction or recovery. Four members shall be employees of organizations that provide services related to addressing the effects of opioid use, with one coming from each of the following service areas: prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery. A single member may fulfill the requirements of more than one of the roles listed in this subsection (b).
c. At least two members shall be representatives from departments of the Metropolitan Government that interact with issues relevant to the Committee. At least one member shall be a member of the Metropolitan Council.
d. The remaining members shall have experience with public health policy, medicine, substance use disorder and addiction treatment, mental health services, drug misuse prevention programs, diversion programs, behavioral health, harm reduction, community care, or health equity or have lived experience with opioid use disorder and not be employees of organizations which may receive opioid funds.
e. The Mayor shall appoint from among the membership a Chair.
f. Committee members shall serve for one-year terms. No member shall serve for more than three years consecutively. In the event of a vacancy, a successor shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term. In no event shall the term of the Councilmember extend beyond the Council term in which they were elected.
B. Functions of the Committee.
The Committee shall provide subject matter input to the Metro Public Health Department and advise the Department regarding the disbursement of opioid claim funds. Responsibilities shall include but not be limited to:
a. Exploration of issues surrounding opioid addiction and overdose through analysis of Nashville-specific data;
b. Exploration of the public health approach to preventing and responding to opioid addiction and overdose;
c. Review of evidence-based strategies for opioid remediation and overdose prevention;
d. Exploring the scope of programs and services funded by opioid claim funds;
e. Review of progress and outcomes from opioid claim disbursements;
f. Deliberation of strategies for disbursement of future opioid claim funds; and
g. Development of recommendations for disbursement of future opioid claim funds.
C. Meetings and Operations of the Committee
a. The Committee shall have the authority to request information from or appearances by departments of the Metropolitan Government and outside entities.
b. The Committee shall meet no less than quarterly.
c. The Metropolitan Public Health Department shall provide staff support for the Committee.
Ordered, Effective, and Issued: September 1, 2026
Freddie O’Connell
Metropolitan County Mayor
