By District 6 City Councilor Nichole L. Rogers, District 7 City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn, District 8 City Councilor Dan Champine, District 9 City Councilor Renée Grout
This commentary piece was submitted by four Albuquerque city councilors. You can submit your own letter to the editor:editor@citydesk.org
The opioid crisis has left a profound impact on our community—breaking lives, tearing apart families, and overwhelming vital systems of support. As Albuquerque begins to receive settlement funds from pharmaceutical companies, it’s essential that we use these resources with purpose—focusing on solutions that heal, rebuild, and create lasting change.
City Council Resolution R-25-128—sponsored by Councilors Tammy Fiebelkorn, Renée Grout, Dan Champine, and Nichole Rogers—marks a critical step forward. It lays the foundation for a thoughtful, data-driven, and community-guided approach to addressing this crisis. The settlement will bring approximately $80 million to Albuquerque over the next 18 years. While significant, this funding is not a cure-all. It must be invested strategically to meet urgent needs today while building a sustainable path forward. One-time dollars must deliver long-term benefits.
For the past 18 months, the City Council has worked closely with the Bernalillo County Commission, and Albuquerque Public Schools through the Local Government Coordinating Council (LGCC) to lead a robust community input process. The result: a shared implementation plan that reflects the voices and priorities of those most affected.
R-25-128 wisely prioritizes funding for existing, evidence-based programs—both within city departments and among trusted community partners. An initial $2 million investment will support small and mid-sized service providers, helping them sustain and scale their essential work. Another $10 million will go toward grants for nonprofits, funding facility upgrades, new equipment, and expanded programming.
The resolution also directs critical resources to early intervention. Albuquerque Public Schools will receive $1.8 million this year, and an additional $1.5 million in each of the next two years, to expand the Crossroads program. By increasing the number of counselors and extending services to more elementary and middle schools, we can reach students early and protect them from the devastating impacts of addiction.
Looking ahead, R-25-128 establishes a balanced framework for future allocations—committing 40% of funds to prevention and community revitalization, and 60% to intervention and treatment. This ensures a comprehensive and sustained response to the crisis.
Prevention and Community Revitalization Priorities:
Support programs that engage disconnected youth.
Expand public education around the risks of opioid misuse.
Intervention and Treatment Priorities:
Increase access to peer support from individuals with lived experience.
Expand supportive and recovery housing options.
Improve the availability of community-based treatment services.
Support the Gateway Sobering Center for immediate crisis intervention.
Broaden distribution of Naloxone to prevent overdose deaths.
These strategies, developed in partnership with Bernalillo County, reflect a unified regional vision. We hope the County will adopt a parallel resolution, matching the City’s investments in nonprofits, APS, and frontline service providers—extending the reach and impact of these vital funds.
Transparency and accountability are built into the resolution. Ongoing community input will be gathered through public forums and key bodies including the Behavioral Health Oversight and Advisory Board, the LGCC, the City Council, the Bernalillo County Commission, and the APS Board of Education.
Resolution R-25-128 is more than a policy—it’s a promise. A promise to respond to the opioid crisis with compassion, intelligence, and resolve. By investing in what works, centering community voices, and focusing on both prevention and treatment, we can begin to heal the wounds of this epidemic—and build a healthier, more resilient Albuquerque.
Nonprofit journalism like this depends on readers like you. This story is supported by City Desk ABQ, a nonprofit newsroom project of Citizen Media Group supporting news and politics coverage that inspires readers to participate in local democracy. Become a supporter to keep City Desk free and support nonprofit, independent journalists covering politics and policy f0r New Mexico newsrooms.
Investing wisely in Albuquerque’s opioid recovery
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By District 6 City Councilor Nichole L. Rogers, District 7 City Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn, District 8 City Councilor Dan Champine, District 9 City Councilor Renée Grout
This commentary piece was submitted by four Albuquerque city councilors.
You can submit your own letter to the editor: editor@citydesk.org
The opioid crisis has left a profound impact on our community—breaking lives, tearing apart families, and overwhelming vital systems of support. As Albuquerque begins to receive settlement funds from pharmaceutical companies, it’s essential that we use these resources with purpose—focusing on solutions that heal, rebuild, and create lasting change.
City Council Resolution R-25-128—sponsored by Councilors Tammy Fiebelkorn, Renée Grout, Dan Champine, and Nichole Rogers—marks a critical step forward. It lays the foundation for a thoughtful, data-driven, and community-guided approach to addressing this crisis. The settlement will bring approximately $80 million to Albuquerque over the next 18 years. While significant, this funding is not a cure-all. It must be invested strategically to meet urgent needs today while building a sustainable path forward. One-time dollars must deliver long-term benefits.
For the past 18 months, the City Council has worked closely with the Bernalillo County Commission, and Albuquerque Public Schools through the Local Government Coordinating Council (LGCC) to lead a robust community input process. The result: a shared implementation plan that reflects the voices and priorities of those most affected.
R-25-128 wisely prioritizes funding for existing, evidence-based programs—both within city departments and among trusted community partners. An initial $2 million investment will support small and mid-sized service providers, helping them sustain and scale their essential work. Another $10 million will go toward grants for nonprofits, funding facility upgrades, new equipment, and expanded programming.
The resolution also directs critical resources to early intervention. Albuquerque Public Schools will receive $1.8 million this year, and an additional $1.5 million in each of the next two years, to expand the Crossroads program. By increasing the number of counselors and extending services to more elementary and middle schools, we can reach students early and protect them from the devastating impacts of addiction.
Looking ahead, R-25-128 establishes a balanced framework for future allocations—committing 40% of funds to prevention and community revitalization, and 60% to intervention and treatment. This ensures a comprehensive and sustained response to the crisis.
Prevention and Community Revitalization Priorities:
These strategies, developed in partnership with Bernalillo County, reflect a unified regional vision. We hope the County will adopt a parallel resolution, matching the City’s investments in nonprofits, APS, and frontline service providers—extending the reach and impact of these vital funds.
Transparency and accountability are built into the resolution. Ongoing community input will be gathered through public forums and key bodies including the Behavioral Health Oversight and Advisory Board, the LGCC, the City Council, the Bernalillo County Commission, and the APS Board of Education.
Resolution R-25-128 is more than a policy—it’s a promise. A promise to respond to the opioid crisis with compassion, intelligence, and resolve. By investing in what works, centering community voices, and focusing on both prevention and treatment, we can begin to heal the wounds of this epidemic—and build a healthier, more resilient Albuquerque.
Nonprofit journalism like this depends on readers like you. This story is supported by City Desk ABQ, a nonprofit newsroom project of Citizen Media Group supporting news and politics coverage that inspires readers to participate in local democracy. Become a supporter to keep City Desk free and support nonprofit, independent journalists covering politics and policy f0r New Mexico newsrooms.
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