Southwest Montana News

The Montana Opioid Abatement Trust (MOAT) is an initiative established in response to the ongoing opioid crisis in the United States. Created by the Attorney General, MOAT receives funds from the National Opioid Abatement Settlements and distributes them across Montana, which is organized into five regions and nine metro areas. Butte-Silver Bow has been designated as one of these metro regions.

To manage the allocation of funds in Butte-Silver Bow, a Local Opioid Settlement Committee has been established. This governing body is tasked with reviewing completed grant applications and making recommendations to the Montana Opioid Abatement Trust Advisory Committee regarding fund distribution.

As of now, Butte-Silver Bow has $16,445.09 left from its first-year funding, with an expected $336,607.00 available in the second year, starting from July 2025 and July 2026. The purpose of these funds is to mitigate the damages caused by opioid misuse and addiction by focusing on prevention, treatment, and recovery programs.

For information on how opioid settlement funds can be used, please visit the official Montana Opioid website. There is also a comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessment report for additional context.

Interested parties are urged to apply for funding through the designated grant portal. The deadline to submit applications is 11:59 p.m. on May 14, 2025. These applications will be reviewed during the next committee meeting on May 28, 2025. A scoring matrix will be used to assess proposals, and applicants might be asked to give brief presentations.

Any questions about the application or review process can be directed to Karen Maloughney at ksmaloughney@bsb.mt.gov or 406-497-5041. Details for contacting other members of the Butte-Silver Bow Metro Region, Local Opioid Settlement Committee are available online.