birminghamal.gov
The City of Birmingham is taking bold action to combat the growing opioid epidemic by investing $1.5 million in local programs designed to prevent addiction, save lives, and support recovery. Funded through national opioid settlement dollars, these initiatives will expand access to treatment, prevention, and harm reduction across the city.
“These investments reflect our deep commitment to healing and restoring our community,” said Mayor Randall L. Woodfin. “The opioid crisis has touched nearly every neighborhood in Birmingham. By partnering with trusted organizations already doing the work, we’re ensuring that resources reach those most in need — from youth in our schools to individuals living on our streets.”
The funding will support a diverse set of evidence-based initiatives, including prevention, reentry, recovery, and outreach:
- Alabama Appleseed ($100,000) The organization will offer comprehensive reentry services and case management for individuals returning to Birmingham from the Alabama Department of Corrections, connecting them with housing, employment, and treatment resources in a coordinated system of care.
- The Lovelady Center ($200,000) Funds will help offset costs for client representatives who work directly with women affected by substance use disorder, providing personalized support and helping them transition toward recovery and stability.
- Cahaba Medical Care ($300,000) The healthcare provider will expand access to medical, behavioral health, and substance use disorder treatment for unhoused individuals and at-risk adolescents in Districts 2, 3, 4, and 5. The project will deploy a mobile health unit and street medicine team to deliver care, harm reduction, and wraparound services.
- Firehouse Ministries ($100,000) Firehouse will develop a comprehensive, trauma-informed program to reduce opioid-related overdoses, deaths, and harm among individuals experiencing homelessness in Birmingham.
- Auburn University (Alabama Cooperative Extension System) ($200,000) Through its 4-H Health Rocks! Curriculum, Auburn University will launch a peer-led substance abuse prevention initiative across Birmingham City Schools. Designed for middle and high school students, the program will empower student leaders to educate and encourage their peers to make healthy, substance-free choices.
“Every dollar we spend must move us closer to saving lives and restoring hope,” said Alanah Melton, Director of Special Projects for the Mayor’s Office. “These partnerships represent Birmingham’s commitment to using settlement funds with purpose, compassion, and accountability.”
These projects are part of the City’s Opioid Abatement Program, which ensures that settlement funds are invested in strategies that address prevention, treatment, and recovery at the community level.
Other funded programs include $320,000 to provide full-time, licensed UAB social workers for Birmingham Public Libraries, covering the $451,329 cost for Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) for area libraries and police vehicles, and $55,963 for Narcan for Birmingham Fire and Rescue Services. So far, the city has received $3.2 million in settlement funds, and this amount could increase based on additional settlements, which could provide funding for additional programs.
