The City of Independence has served as a party in numerous suits pertaining to the nationwide opioid crisis. Cities and counties have borne the extreme burden of the opioid crisis in excess costs for policing, emergency services, increased homelessness, increased foster and other childhood impacts. The opioid settlement recognized this impact and a portion of the dollars are passed through to cities and counties for prevention, intervention and treatment of substance use disorders. To date, the City has been awarded $1,702,478.53 in funds as part of a settlement with distributors and pharmacies. Several other claims are still pending. Of this amount, $276,832.66 has been received by the City.

ARCH – Alternative Response for Community Health – is a unique and exciting interdepartmental collaboration between Health & Animal Services and the Fire Department. This team is a 911 community response unit that is designed to place community paramedics with clinical social workers in the “margins” of 911 operations, responding to 911 requests alongside and sometimes in place of traditional first responders. Among those served by this program are persons facing substance abuse issues.

The opioid settlement identified certain allowable uses for the expenditure of these funds. Among the approved uses is "expansion of warm hand-off programs and recovery services." Additionally, the Jackson County Health Department has encouraged municipalities to support the expansion of co-responder programs for mental and behavioral health calls, among other ongoing efforts.

Funding for the ARCH team's licensed clinical social workers ends in June 2024. The Health and Animal Services Department, along with the Fire Department, has requested $266,045 to fund the salary and benefit costs for the two licensed clinical social workers. This resolution would fund these positions for an additional year while providing additional funding for programmatic operating expenses.