Somerset County

Summary

Somerset County reported receiving 1,507,600.47 in opioid settlement money through 06/30/2025. Its FY2026 report puts the total through 06/30/2026 at 3,147,712.72. The money must go to the abatement uses the national settlements list, or to documented evidence-based programs that address the epidemic. It must add to local spending, not replace it.

The County keeps the money in a set of National Opioid accounts. From the first charge on 01/31/2023 through 08/31/2026 they show 1,493,875.36 net charged. Another 270,679.05 stood open on orders on 08/31/2026.

This project classifies 488,605.28 of the spending as conforming, 10,747.25 as non-conforming and 994,522.83 as unverified. Conforming spending has an order, invoice or contract that shows the opioid work. The payroll is unverified. The reports describe the programs the staff work in, but no position description, resolution or contract was produced. The non-conforming spending is giveaway merchandise, T-shirts and food. No police, surveillance, legal or lobbying charge appears on any of the accounts.

What the County told the State

The State's fiscal year runs 07/01 to 06/30. Each year's administrative figure ties to the Drug and Alcohol Director's 5 percent salary journals: 1,746.00, 4,313.00, 3,231.00 and 7,123.00. The FY2024 figure also holds one 68.00 reimbursement for meeting refreshments.

The FY2025 payroll left out

The FY2025 report certifies 329,157.27 spent between 07/01/2024 and 06/30/2025. That figure equals every charge in the period on the County's National Opioid accounts numbered 791-613, to the cent. Provider checks, the cargo van, supplies, travel and the County's own payroll journals are all in it.

In September 2024 the County opened a second series of National Opioid accounts, numbered 791-616, for harm reduction salary and fringe. From 11/18/2024 to 06/26/2025 it charged 78,119.87 of salary and 36,607.93 of fringe to them. Later journals on the same salary account call it RHall Harm Grant Salary. The report leaves out all 114,727.80. The same report lists Somerset HEAL, run by Richard Hall Community Health and Wellness Center, at 53,250.54 spent. Left 114,727.80 of harm reduction payroll out of FY2025.

The same checks in two reports

The County pays its providers quarterly, often months after the quarter ends. The FY2024 report counted checks paid after FY2024 closed. The FY2025 report counted them again.

Community In Crisis runs Peer Recovery Pop Ups. The FY2024 report certifies the 2024 program at 30,000.00 spent, its full funding. The four checks for the four quarters of 2024 total exactly 30,000.00. They were paid 07/05/2024 to 03/14/2025, all after FY2024 closed. The FY2025 report certifies the program at 34,338.72, those four checks and one more. Counted 30,000.00 of peer recovery checks in two years.

Somerset Treatment Services runs S.C.O.U.T. The FY2024 report certifies 44,305.50 spent. The County paid the provider 17,166.69 in FY2024. The second quarter check, 26,638.81, was paid 07/19/2024. It is in the FY2024 figure and again in the FY2025 figure of 80,604.31. The two reports certify 124,909.81. The County paid 97,771.00 in all. Counted one 26,638.81 treatment check in two years.

The Center for Great Expectations provides allied and holistic therapies inside its residential treatment program for women.

The two reports certify 74,285.00 against 61,382.00 paid. Counted one 12,903.00 check in two years of reports.

The FY2024 program figures also include check 399122 for 9,155.00 to the Change Companies, paid 08/09/2024. With these checks in it, the FY2024 total is 8,763.69 above the books for the year. No set of rows composes the difference. Certified 8,763.69 more FY2024 spending than the books show.

Encumbered

The FY2024 report certifies 184,771.00 appropriated or encumbered but not yet spent. That is the full funding of S.C.O.U.T., Allied and Holistic Therapies and Peer Recovery Pop Ups, 177,771.00, and 7,000.00 for recovery housing carried from FY2023. The same report counts 93,360.50 of those three programs as already spent. Its program pages list 63,360.50 encumbered. The 7,000.00 is an order for sober living services entered 06/18/2024. It was still open on 08/31/2026 with no payment. Counted 93,360.50 as both spent and still encumbered.

The FY2026 report certifies 1,354.50 encumbered. That is two Blick Art Materials invoices for art supplies and coloring books, paid 07/17/2026. The report's program pages list 173,827.71 encumbered or appropriated. On 06/30/2026 the books show 268,434.39 on open orders, among them 150,000.00 for Recovery Friendly Workplace and 37,500.00 for the Center for Great Expectations. Reported 1,354.50 encumbered with 268,434.39 on open orders.

What the County received

Each report asks for the total received since distributions began in 2022. Through FY2025 the answers chain, each year adding its receipts and interest to the last total. FY2026 breaks the chain.

In FY2024 and FY2025 the County reported more unspent money on hand than it had received in all, before counting anything it spent. Reported 677,451.51 more on hand than it had received. Reported 104,360.92 more on hand than it had received.

The FY2026 figures add to 2,051,386.04, not 3,147,712.72. The County produced no receipts detail before 05/01/2026, so the record does not show which total is right. Receipts since 2022 do not add up by 1,096,326.68.

FY2026

The State published the County's FY2026 report on 10/01/2026. It covers 07/01/2025 to 06/30/2026. It certifies 758,374.99 spent, and every check, payroll journal and reversal on the accounts in the period nets to that figure. Spending total ties to the books.

The program pages do not. The report lists HEAL Somerset (Harm Reduction Center) as a new 2026 program at 219,615.00 spent. It also carries an update to the 2025 program Somerset HEAL, at 219,615.00 spent in the same period. With both, the program pages total 813,108.97, more than the report says was spent. Counted once, they describe 593,493.97 of the 751,251.99 spent outside administration. Listed the same 219,615.00 of HEAL spending twice.

Two program figures run ahead of the payments.

• Holistic and Allied Therapy Services is certified at 45,905.00. The Center for Great Expectations was paid 36,397.00 in the period. Certified 9,508.00 more therapy spending than it paid.
• The Grief, Healing and Recovery Workshop is certified at 2,966.84 spent. The only payment of that amount went to a keynote presenter on 07/17/2026. Certified a 2,966.84 workshop paid after the year closed.

Merchandise and food

The certified totals include items no listed use covers. In FY2025 the County bought zipper storage pouches, vinyl travel bags and a table throw from promotional products vendors, 1,952.15. Certified 1,952.15 of giveaway bags and a table throw. In FY2026 it bought cotton T-shirts and purple power clips and reimbursed a Chick-fil-A lunch, 2,799.02. Certified 2,799.02 of T-shirts, power clips and a lunch.

The fund also paid 1,013.95 for a breakfast platter, snacks and meeting refreshments in FY2024. After FY2026 closed it paid 4,844.99 for tuna meals and 137.14 for merchandise bags, and opened an order for more T-shirts.

The cargo van

On 10/25/2024 the County paid Paramus Ford 52,512.30 by check 401462 for a 2024 Ford Transit 250 cargo van, under cooperative contract ESCNJ 23/24-11. The ledger names the van. The vendor history for the same check reads Delivery fee to Somerset County. On 10/03/2025 the County paid TWR Specialty Vehicles 66,545.00 by check 413582 to up-fit it. The van is inside the FY2025 certified total. No program in any report names it. The FY2026 report says the HEAL van attends many community events. No produced record ties this van to that program, so this project classifies the 119,057.30 as unverified.

What ties

The FY2023 report certifies 42,654.52. That is the Behavioral Health System Navigator's salary and fringe, 40,908.52, and 1,746.00 of administrative salary, to the cent. FY2023 report ties to the books.

The FY2026 Landscape Analysis at 5,000.00 and the Overdose Awareness Day event at 500.00 are one check each.

What the records do not show

• Item detail for 9,016.68 paid from the HEAL other expenses account between 01/27/2026 and 04/30/2026. The print shows it only inside a balance.
• Receipt detail before 05/01/2026.
• Position descriptions or resolutions for the County and Richard Hall staff charged to the fund. The journals name the employees, not the programs.