Across the nation, US states, local governments, communities, and their people are grossly harmed by the effects of opioid addiction.

North Carolina and its counties and municipalities are engaged in ongoing investigations, litigation, and settlement discussions to hold these pharmaceutical companies and other players accountable for their alleged roles in the opioid crisis.

Legislators wrote the North Carolina Memorandum of Agreement(NC MOA) in April 2021 to facilitate compliance by the state and its local governments with the National Settlement Agreement and other settlements related to the opioid epidemic. The NC MOA outlines various pre-approved opioid crisis abatement strategies and compliance requirements for counties and municipalities receiving opioid settlement funds.

While the use of public dashboards is considered an “Exhibit B” optional strategy, we argue that public dashboards may actually be beneficial to the successful implementation of the entire NC MOA, as well as integral to the state’s and counties’ ability to create measurable impact through opioid crisis remediation strategies.

Furthermore, Clear Impact’s Clear Impact Scorecard, a performance and impact reporting dashboard software, is especially suited to the purposes of the NC MOA for several reasons. First, its structure and core functionality closely resemble the NC MOA Collaborative Strategic Planning Process. It is also specifically built for and used by government agencies (particularly health-focused) worldwide to create measurable health impacts.

Here are the top 5 ways Clear Impact Scorecard is well-suited to support the NC MOA and its associated opioid crisis activities and strategies:

1. Clear Impact Scorecard’s Core Methodology Mirrors the Strategic Planning Process Required for Additional Opioid Remediation Activities

NC MOA Text: “Before spending any funds on any activity listed in Exhibit B, but not listed on Exhibit A, a Local Government must first engage in the collaborative strategic planning process described in Exhibit C. This process shall result in a report and non-binding recommendations to the Local Government’s Governing Body described in Exhibit C. A-N requirements.” (NC MOA Page 8)

What This Means: Local governments are given the option to participate in voluntary meetings at least every four years. These meetings will discuss specific details of the municipality’s use of opioid settlement funds, while also granting a larger list of strategy options for the government to choose from. The “Strategic Collaborative Planning” process outlines items A through N and includes:

• A – Engaging diverse stakeholders
• B – Designating facilitators
• C – Building upon related planning
• D – Agreeing on a shared vision
• E – Identifying key indicators
• F – Identifying and exploring root causes
• G – Identifying and evaluating potential strategies
• H – Prioritizing strategies
• I – Identifying goals, measures, and evaluations
• J – Considering ways to align strategies
• K – Identifying organizations
• L – Developing budgets and timelines
• M – Offering recommendations

How Scorecard Fits: Scorecard’s ability to present and organize information in accessible formats can certainly ease the stress of meetings by providing clear visuals for understanding the impact of proposed strategies. These meetings are meant to facilitate communication between multiple counties as well as the general public, and showing clear data on the proposed use of funding could ease the stress of decision-making.

Furthermore, Scorecard’s core methodology, which guides users through an easy step-by-step process to identifying measures, completing root-cause analysis, identifying partners, exploring strategies, and creating an action plan closely mirrors the strategic planning process outlined in NC MOA Exhibit C (particularly items E through I). Scorecard can be used as an active planning and documentation tool throughout the strategic planning process so that data and its accompanying analysis can be used to develop data-based decisions, present findings in meetings, create alignment amongst partners, and share progress with stakeholders and the community.

2. Clear Impact Scorecard Supports Access to Persons and Records

NC MOA Text: “During and after the term of this MOA, the State Auditor and Department of Justice shall have access to persons and records related to this MOA and expenditures of Opioid Settlement Funds to verify accounts and data affecting fees or performance. The Local Government must maintain, for a period of at least five years, records of Opioid Settlement Fund expenditures and documents underlying those expenditures, so that it can be verified that funds are being or have been utilized in a manner consistent with the National Settlement Agreement, any Bankruptcy Resolutions, and this MOA.” (Pages 9-10)

What This Means: The terms of the MOA require proof that all Opioid Settlement Funds are used for their intended purpose, and that any relevant records are not disposed of before they can be analyzed.

How Scorecard Fits: Scorecard can help NC counties make data storage and visualization seamless. Scorecard itself can be used to track and manage opioid indicators and performance measure data over time. Using Scorecard, all relevant records can be instantly accessed and shared via document uploads. Additionally, Scorecard data can be embedded on websites or shared with governing bodies via links.

3. Clear Impact Scorecard Helps Simplify Impact Reporting to Statewide Opioid Settlement Dashboard

NC MOA Text:  “Each Local Government must provide the following information to the statewide opioid settlement dashboard within the stated timeframes…The impact information described in Exhibit F (within 90 days of the end of the fiscal year covered by the report). (NC MOA Page 10)

What This Means: The State is requiring local governments to provide a yearly evaluation of how well the chosen strategies are working to alleviate opioid addiction. This evaluation needs to provide:

• One or more process measures
• One or more quality measures
• Progress reports
• Success stories
• One or more outcomes measures

How Scorecard Fits: Scorecard can use the information provided to show the impact of chosen strategies. For example, counties can easily view information about local opioid overdoses before and after a new strategy was implemented, view the data in simple visualizations, and evaluate the utility of different metrics. Scorecard also allows for a breakdown of data through different factors, which can help with the required demographic information and process measures. Furthermore, the core Scorecard methodology described in item one in this blog (above) can also be used to document and share progress reports and develop success stories.

4. Clear Impact Scorecard Helps Counties Facilitate Collaboration Between Local Entities

NC MOA Text:  “The State and Local Governments must collaborate to promote effective use of Opioid Settlement Funds, including through the sharing of expertise, training, technical assistance. They will also coordinate with trusted partners to collect and share information about successful regional and other high-impact strategies and opioid treatment programs.” (NC MOA Page 11)

What This Means: The NC MOA seeks to bring counties together by promoting collaboration among individual local governments. Option ‘B’ meetings can also be cross-municipality, allowing governments t0 collaborate on the same strategies.

How Scorecard Fits: Information sharing is a vital part of good collaboration, and Clear Impact Scorecard customers can link together using a “Partner Connect” feature. Participating governments can easily connect with each other to share data without compromising security, coordinate efforts, and create collective impact.

5. Clear Impact Scorecard Helps Counties Fulfill Exhibit B Dashboard Strategies

NC MOA Text: “A dashboard to share reports, recommendations, or plans to spend Opioid Settlement Funds; to show how Opioid Settlement Funds have been spent; to report program or strategy outcomes; or to track, share, or visualize key opioid-related or health-related indicators and supports as identified through collaborative statewide, regional, local, or community processes.” (NC MOA Page 26)

What This Means: Participants who elect for option B can take part in an information-sharing dashboard designed to keep relevant and current information available to others who are involved.

How Scorecard Fits: Scorecard is designed to make information sharing easier. A participant opting for the dashboard strategy would only need access to the relevant information to be able to create a useful dashboard in Scorecard that would keep others informed about the current state of settlement funds.

The NC MOA may appear complicated, but North Carolina Counties can take solace in the fact that there are public sector tools specially designed to help them comply with governing bodies and agreements. Clear Impact Scorecard offers the tools needed to help counties remain accountable to the State, engage in data-based budgeting and decision-making, and collaboratively create a measurable impact on the opioid crisis.

Interested in learning more about how Clear Impact Scorecard can help your county comply with the NC MOA and create measurable impact? Sign up for a free customized demo with one of our friendly staff here.