TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Pima County officials are directing millions of dollars into programs aimed at preventing overdoses, keeping youth from using drugs and helping people recover from opioid addiction.
Opioids are a class of highly addictive drugs used to treat pain. They include prescription medications as well as illegal drugs like heroin. While they can be effective for pain management, opioids carry a high risk of dependence and overdose.
According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, 257 people died from opioid overdoses in 2024 in Pima County. That number dropped to 174 deaths in 2025, but officials still address the ongoing need for prevention and treatment.
The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Jan. 6 to distribute more than $1.86 million in opioid settlement funds to six community-based organizations focused on substance use prevention, peer support and recovery services across the county.
The Board approved funding for the following organizations and programs:
- The Haven — $663,576
- Liberty Partnership Community Council — $246,174
- Community Partners Integrated Healthcare, Inc. — $927,796
- Boys to Men Tucson, Inc. — $258,410
- American Indian Association of Tucson, Inc. (Tucson Indian Center) — $232,778
- Portable Practical Educational Preparation, Inc. (PPEP) — $196,372
Brian Eller, with the Pima County Health Department, helped write the request for proposals.
“We put together a series of things that listed out what were the organizations going to accomplish with the funding that they receive,” Eller says, “some of the main points being reduction in overdose fatality.”
The funding comes from the One Arizona Agreement, a statewide settlement that requires pharmaceutical companies to compensate communities harmed by the opioid epidemic. In this case, Pima County, Tucson, South Tucson and Marana pooled their individual allocations, aimed at having a greater regional impact.
“If we’re thinking about Community Partners Integrated Healthcare,” Eller says, “success there would look like folks getting released from prison and getting back into life, and really feeling like they’re meaningfully connected to the rest of our environment.”
All local governments receiving settlement funds are required to submit annual reports to the Arizona Attorney General, detailing how the money is being spent.
The Sobering Alternative to Recovery (SAFR) Center is a recently approved facility that provides a medically supported, safe space for people experiencing substance use disorder to sober up and connect with treatment and recovery services. Eller says this opened in January and a few people have already been referred to this agency.
———
Athena Kehoe is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2024 after graduating from Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Athena by emailing athena.kehoe@kgun9.com or by connecting on X/Twitter.
