Bexar County commissioners voted on Tuesday to move forward on the distribution of more than $11 million to local organizations to battle opioid use disorders.
The money comes from the county's share of a legal settlement against major opioid manufacturers because of the national opioid crisis.
Commissioners directed Andrea Guerrero-Guajardo, the head of county public health, to proceed with negotiations with 13 providers of treatment or prevention services.
She assured commissioners those organizations that receive money will be expected to meet tough accountability requirements.
"The metrics that they have proposed within their proposals will be part of the requirements for reporting," she explained, "not just to get another check, but to make sure that they are performing in the way that they proposed."
The three biggest likely recipients are Crosspoint, Alpha Home, and San Antonio Lifetime Recovery.
Crosspoint, a homeless shelter, could receive $2 million. Alpha Home, a rehab center, could receive just under $2 million, and San Antonio Lifetime Recovery, which offers residential and treatment services, could receive $1.5 million.
At a later date, county commissioners will have to approve of any negotiated deals between the county and the service providers.
