State Policy · MS
Mississippi Opens Second Opioid Settlement Grant Cycle with Third-Party Administrator
The Mississippi Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Council will open its second annual grant application portal on Monday, August 31, 2026, for organizations seeking access to the state's $430 million in opioid settlement funds. The application process will run for six weeks, administered by The Steadman Group, a Colorado-based behavioral health consulting firm contracted to address conflicts of interest and inconsistent review standards identified in the previous cycle. The 2026 Mississippi Legislature mandated third-party administration to prevent council members from influencing applications that could benefit their own organizations. Final funding recommendations will go to the Legislature during the 2027 regular session.
Why it mattersMississippi Medicaid health plans and behavioral health providers seeking opioid treatment funding must navigate the new third-party application process, which attempts to standardize review criteria after the state left over $130 million unspent from 2022-2025.