Title
a. Approve and authorize the Director of Health Services or designee to execute a retroactive non-standard agreement with Montage Health Foundation to provide opioid education and prevention in Monterey County schools for the term January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2029 for a total amount not to exceed $1,560,281; and
b. Approve and authorize the Director of Health Services or designee to sign up to three future amendments that do not significantly change the scope of services and do not exceed 10% ($156,028) of the original contract amount for a total not exceed amount of $1,716,309.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the County of Monterey Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve and authorize the Director of Health Services or designee to execute a retroactive non-standard agreement with Montage Health Foundation to provide opioid education and prevention in Monterey County schools for the term January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2029 for a total amount not to exceed $1,560,281; and
b. Approve and authorize the Director of Health Services or designee to sign up to three future amendments that do not significantly change the scope of services and do not exceed 10% ($156,028) of the original contract amount for a total not exceed amount of $1,716,309.
SUMMARY:
In California, opioid-related deaths reached 7,385 in 2022 and 7,847 in 2023. In Monterey County, 31 opioid-related deaths occurred in 2022, rising to 49 in 2023 (California Overdose Surveillance Dashboard. Prepared by California Department of Public Health (CDPH - Substance and Addiction Prevention Branch (SAPB)). With opioid-related overdoses increasing, there is an urgent need to provide youth and families with accurate, timely prevention information. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence Dashboard in June 2024 - May 2025 (most recent 12 months with data available), 98 Monterey County residents died from an unintentional or undetermined intent drug overdose and the rate of unintentional or undetermined intent drug overdose deaths for Monterey County was 22.8 per 100,000 people.
The Health Department will partner with the Montage Health Foundation to deliver a multi-year, school-based opioid prevention initiative using peer education and family engagement, supported by educational materials for parents and caregivers.
DISCUSSION:
The County of Monterey Health Department works collaboratively with healthcare providers and community partners, including Montage Health, to address opioid misuse. For more than a decade, Montage Health has led overdose prevention efforts in Monterey County, including emergency department-based substance use navigation, non-pharmacological pain management, overdose data sharing, school-based prevention, and countywide drug take-back initiatives that have removed more than 20.64 tons of unused medications from circulation.
In 2021, Montage Health received a five-year Drug-Free Communities grant to implement peer-led youth prevention programs, with the County serving as the government representative on the guiding coalition. In 2023, Montage Health piloted a fentanyl-focused, school-based curriculum now used in schools across the county, reaching 30 classrooms and 1,645 students.
The proposed partnership with the Montage Health Foundation will expand these existing efforts by increasing reach, strengthening coordination, and supporting long-term sustainability. This multi-year, school-based opioid prevention initiative will enhance current programming through expanded peer education, family engagement, and the development of educational materials for parents and caregivers. Montage Health Foundation has agreed to implement Stanford University’s REACH Lab Safety First curriculum to ensure alignment with opioid prevention efforts currently led by the Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention Division of the County of Monterey County Health Department’s Public Health Bureau, while strategically extending programming to school sites that the Division does not currently have the capacity to serve. The initiative will allow the County of Monterey Health Department and Montage Health to scale proven strategies countywide.
This Agreement is being requested retrospectively due to delays caused by coordinating and reviewing draft fiscal provisions and the scope of services with partners. These preparations required additional time, resulting in a delay beyond the December 31, 2025, deadline to execute the agreement for a start date of January 1, 2026.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT/COMMITTEE ACTIONS:
The Offices of the County Counsel and Auditor-Controller have reviewed and approved this agreement as to legal form and fiscal provisions, respectively.
This item was unanimously supported by Montage Health Foundation on March 13, 2026.
FINANCING:
This Agreement is funded 100% by opioid settlement funds. There are sufficient appropriations in the Health Department’s (001-4000-8124-HEA003) FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS:
This Agreement supports the County of Monterey Strategic Plan Goal A: Well-Being and Quality of Life. The Agreement strengthens services provided to the community through a partnership between the County of Monterey Health Department and Montage Health’s opioid prevention programs, thereby improving the health and safety of youth and families served. The initiative delivers school-based prevention education and family engagement strategies throughout the county. Through this collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach, youth receive evidence-based opioid prevention information, and families are connected to resources and support services that promote overall well-being and reduce the risk of substance misuse.
Mark a check next to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Plan Goals:
X Well-Being and Quality of Life
Sustainable Infrastructure for the Present and Future
Safe and Resilient Communities
____ Diverse and Thriving Economy
Dynamic Organization and Employer of Choice
Prepared by: Veronica Salinas, Management Analyst II, 755-4630
Approved by: Elsa Mendoza Jimenez, Director of Health Services, 755-4526
Attachments:
Board Report
Agreement (with Exhibit A)