eNews February 3, 2023
Friday, February 03, 2023 - 02:19pm
This issue is sponsored by:
TOMI Environmental Solutions, Inc. is a global bacteria decontamination and infectious disease control company, providing environmental solutions for indoor surface decontamination through the manufacturing, sales, and licensing of its SteraMist brand products. SteraMist is an EPA registered sole active ingredient 7.8% hydrogen peroxide-based product line that uses Binary Ionization Technology (BIT). Learn more >.
In this issue:
- Now accepting entries for VML’s “If I Were Mayor” Essay Contest
- VML members are eligible to receive legislative updates throughout the General Assembly session
- Applications for All-America City Award due Feb. 15
- 2023 AARP Community Challenge grants deadline is March 15
- Substance use disorder grant funding opportunities under SMHSA
- Save the date: Broadband Together Conference to be held May 17-18
- DHCD offering educational webinar for Virginia Enterprise Zone grants
- Opioid Abatement Authority resources
VML News
Now accepting entries for VML’s “If I Were 
Mayor” Essay Contest
The Virginia Municipal League (VML) invites students from VML member municipalities enrolled in the 7th Grade during the 2022-2023 school year to join its “If I were Mayor” essay contest.
Regional winners selected from around the state will each receive a $150 gift card and a plaque. One statewide winner chosen from the regional winners will receive a $250 gift card and a plaque. The runner-up from the region that receives the statewide award will become that region’s winner.
Winning essays will be featured in the May issue of VML’s magazine Virginia Town & City.
More information about the contest and instructions on how to submit essays are available on VML’s website here >.
The deadline to submit entries is the end of the day on Friday, March 3.
Good luck everyone!
VML Contact: Manuel Timbreza, mtimbreza@vml.org
VML members are eligible to receive legislative 
updates throughout the General Assembly session
Elected officials and staff from VML member local governments are eligible to receive the VML Legislative Bulletin which is published only during the General Assembly Session. This electronic newsletter covers bills and budget items being tracked by our staff, analysis of legislation affecting local governments, and alerts for legislation that should be opposed or supported by our members. This information is no longer published in eNews.
To begin receiving the VML Legislative Bulletin send a request to VML Director of Communications Rob Bullington, rbullington@vml.org.
Please include in the body of the email:
- Your first and last name
- Your title (i.e., councilmember, town manager, etc.)
- The name of your locality
- Your email address for local government communications (i.e., name@cityofexample.gov)
VML Contact: Rob Bullington, rbullington@vml.org
Opportunities
Applications for All-America City Award due Feb. 15
The National Civic League is now accepting applications for the 2023 All-America City Award. Since 1949, the All-America City Award has recognized communities that leverage civic engagement, collaboration, inclusiveness, and innovation to successfully address local challenges.
The 2023 All-America City Award will recognize ten communities that are working to improve the health and well-being of young people, with particular attention to efforts that engage young people in this work. Democracy thrives when all residents are active and engaged in the policies and decisions that shape their lives. In 2023, the National Civic League is seeking to identify communities that are breaking down barriers to meaningful youth participation and enacting programs that will improve quality of life for youth, and all residents, by extension.
Applications are due February 15, 2023. 20 finalists will be named in March of 2023 and will be invited to assemble a community team to present their work at the All-America City Award event in Denver, CO from June 9-11, 2023.
For additional information, watch this informational webinar and download the 2023 application.
National Civic League Contact: Rebecca Trout, rebeccat@ncl.org
2023 AARP Community Challenge grants deadline is March 15
The AARP Community Challenge provides small grants to fund quick-action projects that can help communities become more livable for people of all ages. In 2023, the AARP Community Challenge is accepting applications across three different grant opportunities, two of which are new this year.
A public Q&A webinar will be held Feb. 8 at 2:00pm. Click here to register
AARP Contact: CommunityChallenge@AARP.org
Substance use disorder grant funding opportunities under SMHSA
With the recent passage of the Summer Barrow Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Act (SMHSA), sponsored by U.S. Representative Spanberger, more than a dozen substance use disorder and mental health grant programs have been authorized. SAMHSA has begun posting Notice of Funding Opportunities for the newly authorized programs. These include those listed below:
- Grants to Expand Substance Use Disorder Treatment Capacity in Adult and Family Treatment Drug Courts (SAMHSA Treatment Drug Courts) – $32.4 million – This expands SUD treatment and recovery support services in existing drug courts. The program recognizes the need for treatment instead of incarceration for certain individuals who have SUDs.
- Adult Reentry Program – $13 million – This program expands SUD treatment and related recovery and reentry services to adults in the criminal justice system who have an SUD and/or co-occurring substance use and mental disorders, who are returning to their families and communities after being incarcerated in state and local facilities including prisons, jails or detention centers.
- Medication-Assisted Treatment – Prescription Drug and Opioid Addiction Grant Program (MAT-PDOA) – $18.2 million – This program provides resources to help expand or enhance access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). This program will help to increase the number of people who receive MOUD for their opioid use disorders and decrease illicit opioid use and prescription opioid misuse.
- Emergency Department Alternatives to Opioids Program (ED-ALT) – $6.8 million – This program develops and implements alternatives to opioids for pain management in hospitals and emergency department settings.
- Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act (STOP Act) Grants – $3 million – This program works to prevent and reduce alcohol use among youth and young adults ages 12-20 in communities throughout the United States. The program addresses norms regarding alcohol use by youth, reduces opportunities for underage drinking, creates changes in underage drinking enforcement efforts, addresses penalties for underage use, and reduces negative consequences associated with underage drinking (e.g., motor vehicle crashes, sexual assaults).
- Grants for the Benefit of Homeless Individuals – $15.7 million – The purpose of this program is to provide comprehensive, coordinated, and evidence-based treatment and services for individuals, including youth, and families with substance use disorders (SUDs) or co-occurring mental health conditions and SUDs (CODs) who are experiencing homelessness.
- Improving Access to Overdose Treatment – $1.4 million – The purpose of this program is to expand access to naloxone and other Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved overdose reversal medications for emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose. The recipients will collaborate with other prescribers at the community level to implement trainings on policies, procedures, and models of care for prescribing, co-prescribing, and expanding access to naloxone and other FDA-approved overdose reversal medications to the specified population of focus (i.e., rural or urban).
Note – Rep. Spanberger’s office is offering Letters of Support for qualifying organizations in Virginia’s 7th District. Localities and organizations can submit a request here >.
Contact: Tony McDowell, tmcdowell@voaa.us
Save the date: Broadband Together Conference to 
be held May 17-18
Plan on joining VML and our partner organizations for two days of exploring topics to expand broadband access in the Commonwealth. The 2023 Broadband Together Conference will be held May 17-18 at the Hilton Short Pump (12042 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23233). Registration coming soon!
VML Contact: Josette Bulova, jbulova@vml.org
Resources
DHCD offering educational webinar for Virginia Enterprise Zone grants
The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) will hold an in-depth “How-to-Qualify” Webinar that will provide information about how to apply for the Virginia Enterprise Zone grant incentives.
- Date: Wednesday, February 8
- Time: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- Registration: Available here >
The webinar will provide detailed instructions on the qualification process for Grant Year 2022 Real Property Investment Grants and Job Creation Grants. Grant Year 2022 grants include grants for jobs created in calendar year 2022 and grants for real property investments that received final placed-in-service documentation in calendar year 2022.
Attendance is open to the public and free of charge! Please register using the link below.
DHCD Contact: ezone@dhcd.virginia.gov
Opioid Abatement Authority resources
Opioid Abatement Authority (OAA) information:
- Website: voaa.us
- General questions: Can be sent to info@voaa.us
- Presentation slide decks: Available here >
- OAA listserv: The Opioid Abatement Authority is developing a listserv. More information will be shared soon.
Videos of OAA information sessions for local government
All OAA sessions partnered with Virginia Institute of Government are available at the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service’s YouTube channel.
- February 1, 2023 – Grants Process Session >
- December 13, 2022 – Introductory session >
- December 8, 2022 – Introductory Session >
Upcoming Q&A sessions
If you have not yet signed up for the March 8 and/or April 19 Question and Answer sessions, please register here >.
Listening sessions
The Opioid Abatement Authority and Virginia Association of Community Services Boards (VACSB) are holding public listening sessions across the Commonwealth.
Dates include:
- February 12, virtual
- February 28, Norfolk
- March 21, Region Ten CSB, Charlottesville
- April 8, Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, Abingdon
Questions regarding the listening sessions should be directed to the Virginia Association of Community Services Boards at vacsb@vacsb.org or the Opioid Abatement Authority.
Contact: Jennifer Nelson, jenn@virginia.edu
