A Roadmap for Opioid Settlement Funds:
Supporting Communities & Ending the Overdose Crisis
“Through lengthy litigation and the strength of devastated families and communities, these funds belong to those directly impacted by the catastrophic opioid epidemic, not the government! All funding should be spent with a public health approach and not on the stigmatizing, punitive and demoralizing War on Drugs approach. ”
A Roadmap for Opioid Settlement Funds:
Supporting Communities & Ending the Overdose Crisis
August 13, 2024
Media Contact
Elizabeth Burke Beaty
eburkebeaty@seachangerco.org
609-241-2630
This second annual edition of "A Roadmap for Opioid Settlement Funds: Supporting Communities & Ending the Overdose Crisis" is a crucial tool for elected officials, government agencies, and others involved in the allocation of these vital funds.
Since we released our inaugural Roadmap last year, the overdose epidemic has only gotten worse, claiming more than 220 lives each day. That is why 192 organizations representing 36 states signed on to the roadmap, including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawai'i, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, Washington D.C, West Virginia, Wisconsin.
Key recommendations from the roadmap include:
Reject Funding Systems and Policies that Advance the Drug War: Do not further criminalization or bolster the criminal legal system, family separation, dangerous “treatment” approaches, unproven prevention programs, and corporate money-grabs masquerading as harm reduction.
Full Access to FDA-Approved Substance Use Treatments and Supports: Support all forms of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and harm reduction initiatives, including syringe service programs, naloxone access, and overdose prevention centers.
Community Support and Recovery Programs: Expand housing, outreach, and wraparound support services for individuals affected by drug use and related convictions, ensuring they do not face barriers to essential services.
Reform and Rehabilitation Efforts: Fund programs to address the collateral damage caused by the War on Drugs, including second-chance employment opportunities, recovery-to-work initiatives, and expungement of criminal records.
About the Coalition:
This roadmap was created by a national coalition of organizations, including The Center for Popular Democracy, Community Education Group, HEAL Ohio, Legal Action Center, National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence-Maryland Chapter, New Jersey Organizing Project & New Jersey Resource Project, National Sea Change Coalition & Sea Change Recovery Community Organization & Harm Reduction Center (NJ), People’s Action and VOCAL-US.
Community Feedback
YOUR VOICE MATTERS! We are gathering public feedback on this second annual edition of "A Roadmap for Opioid Settlement Funds: Supporting Communities & Ending the Overdose Crisis. Please take some time to review the roadmap and share your thoughts. Your feedback will help ensure the roadmap reflects the priorities and aligns with the needs of those affected by addiction
Additional Resources
NPR:
Opioid settlement money and a call to action
August 21, 2024 - NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Aneri Pattani of KFF Health News about guidelines for spending opioid settlement money issued by nearly 200 harm reduction and recovery organizations.
Legal Action Center:
Opioid Settlement Tracker
Legal Action Center (LAC) and Christine Minhee, J.D. of Opioid Settlement Tracker (OST) have joined together to create a living resource that community-based organizations in all states across the country can access to easily determine what opportunities exist to utilize opioid settlement funds for addiction treatment, overdose prevention, harm reduction, and other related services.
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: Principles for the Use of Funds From the Opioid Litigation
Developed by a coalition of organizations across the spectrum of the substance use field including physicians, addiction medicine specialists, recovery, treatment, and harm reduction. The Principles for the Use of Funds From the Opioid Litigation provide planning and process level guidance for state and local policymakers on how to effectively spend money from the opioid settlements.
KFF Health News:
Payback Tracking the Opioid Settlement Cash
Opioid manufacturers, distributors, and retailers are paying tens of billions of dollars in restitution to settle lawsuits about their role in the overdose epidemic, with little oversight on how the money is spent. We’re tracking how state and local governments use — or misuse — the cash.
Opioid Settlements:
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
John Oliver discusses how opioid settlements are being spent in the US, why there’s still time to make sure they’re spent in better ways, and the Taylor Swift metric for seriousness.