Director: Anna Jones
Address: 900 E. Broad Street, 5th Floor, Richmond, VA 23219
Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday | 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office of Opioid and Substance Use Response
Opioid Response Coordination Staff
The City of Richmond employs two full time policy advisors and one project coordinator to address the opioid epidemic, support opioid response coordination, and substance use response.
Anna Jones, Opioid Response Strategist
Anna is responsible for providing leadership, planning, management, and coordination of the City’s response to substance use and the opioid epidemic.
Jason Alley, Policy Advisor for Opioid Response Community Outreach and Engagement
Jason is responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships with local service providers, community organizations, and stakeholders which support individuals with opioid use disorder throughout the continuum of care.
Monica Kelley, Resource Mapping Project Coordinator
Monica is responsible for our Resource Mapping Project, an OAA Collaborative between the City of Richmond and Henrico County. This project will translate the RHHD’s Substance Use, Mental, and Behavioral Health Resource Guide into a searchable, accessible, and frequently updated website. Monica works directly with community resources to build collaboration and increase access for individuals seeking services.
Contact Us:
Email: opioidresponse@rva.gov
Phone: (804) 646-5823
Looking for help?
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call: (804) 819-4100
Responding through Partnership: Richmond Opioid Task Force
The City of Richmond facilitates the Richmond Opioid Task Force (ROTF) which meets monthly to identify needs and solutions to address the opioid epidemic in the City of Richmond. The ROTF includes representation from the City of Richmond, Richmond Henrico Health District, Richmond Behavioral Health Authority, harm reduction organizations, medical professionals, treatment providers, and Richmond City residents. The ROTF has four subcommittees that also meet monthly:
- Prevention
- Harm Reduction
- Treatment/Recovery
- Diversion
For more information or to connect with the Richmond Opioid Task Force, please email: opioidresponse@rva.gov or call (804) 646-5823.
Current Projects
2023
In 2023, the City of Richmond, in partnership with Chesterfield County, Hanover County, and Henrico County to expand the region’s Peer Recovery Specialist Program. This effort is focused on deploying Peer Recovery Specialists in emergent situations.
In 2023, the City of Richmond also launched an additional effort, in partnership with Chesterfield County, Hanover County, and Henrico County to study the impact of opioids on pregnant, birthing, and parenting persons. This effort will provide a gap analysis and needs assessment of this population in Central Virginia.
Each project is ongoing.
2024
In 2024, the City of Richmond is launching four new projects.
1. Harm Reduction: The City will be placing three harm reduction vending machines in public spaces. These harm reduction vending machines will provide naloxone, fentanyl testing strips, and basic personal hygiene items at no cost to residents.
2. Prevention: Youth-focused opioid prevention campaign. This campaign will draw from existing evidence-based programs tailored for the Richmond community and will rely on a multimedia communications campaign to reach the target audience of youth aged 13-24.
3. Treatment/Recovery: Integration of Peer Recovery Specialists into areas such as emergency response, detox, treatment, recovery, and other facilities to enhance the continuum of care for individuals affected by opioid use disorder. This will be done by the release of a request for proposals (RFP) and selection of
4. Data and Resources: Cooperative project with Henrico County and the Richmond Henrico Heath District to provide a resource mapping guide and public facing data dashboard available to the public.
The Opioid Epidemic Outlook
National Outlook: According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2023 there were 107,543 drug overdose deaths in the United States, and 81,083 of those deaths were opioid-related.
State Outlook: According to the Virginia Department of Health, there were approximately 2,513 drug overdose deaths in Virginia, and approximately 1,910 of those deaths involved fentanyl. These are preliminary numbers which will be finalized in July 2024.
City of Richmond Outlook: According to the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, preliminary reports in 2023 show approximately 297 overdose deaths in the City of Richmond, and 270 of those deaths from opioids.
Request for Applications: Opioid Settlement Funds
The City of Richmond's Office of Opioid and Substance Use Response announce the availability of Opioid Settlement funds to support evidence-based overdose prevention, treatment, and recovery programs serving Richmond residents.
A total of $600,000 is available through this Request for Applications (RFA). Eligible organizations may submit proposals requesting up to $600,000, and the City anticipates funding no more than ten (10) proposals. Awarded projects may be considered for renewal during the next application cycle.
Applications must adhere to the Terms, Condition, and Approved Uses of Opioid Settlement Funds as enumerated in Exhibit E of the Distributer and Janssen Settlement Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
Information Sessions
We will be hosting two information sessions to answer questions and provide additional guidance via Zoom with links posted below. For questions or challenges with the Zoom links, please contact opioidresponse@rva.gov.
Info Session #1: Monday, February 9, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Zoom link)
Info Session #2: Monday, February 23, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Zoom link)
Application
Review the full Request for Applications and submission requirements in English or Spanish.
Complete the initial electronic application for this RFA in either English or Spanish.
Submit the Budget Template along with your additional attachments (this file available with both English and Spanish tabs).
