Good afternoon!

The Sackler family, owners of Purdue Pharma, have reached a tentative $7.4 billion settlement to address their role in the U.S. opioid overdose crisis. This agreement, pending court approval, involves $6.5 billion from the Sacklers and $900 million from Purdue Pharma. It also includes a controversial provision to set aside up to $800 million to defend the Sackler family against future lawsuits.

This settlement reminds us of the devastating impact of the overdose crisis across the United States, but no region has felt the effects more acutely than Appalachia. At AOR, we define “Appalachia” using the Appalachian Regional Commission’s designation — 423 counties across 13 states. West Virginia is the only state fully encompassed in this definition, making it the heart of Appalachia and the epicenter of the overdose crisis. Purdue Pharma specifically targeted West Virginia during its initial push to profit from opioids, exploiting rural, working-class communities with high rates of injury-prone employment.

Despite a decline in opioid prescriptions over the past decade, overdose deaths in West Virginia have continued to rise, along with dramatic increases in HIV and Hepatitis C transmissions. As Project Mayday aptly states:

“The crisis we are witnessing right now is not a result of overprescribing of opioids. It’s the result of a century-long war on people who use drugs. The recent manifestation of the war on drugs may be different, but the causes are the same—the criminalization of drug use. We cannot solely blame the Sacklers for where we are… West Virginia continues to pour money and resources into law enforcement, courts, and abstinence-based recovery methods; however, folks who use drugs continue to suffer. This is the current scene of the Mountain State.”

West Virginia—and Appalachia as a whole—has an opportunity to transform its approach to drug use with the influx of opioid settlement dollars. These funds must be allocated to evidence-based public health interventions and support for organizations actively working in our communities. The people of Appalachia must have a say in how these resources are used to ensure that investments are effective and equitable.

To better understand the human impact of these issues, we encourage readers to explore Project Mayday’s photo essay, “No Harm in Our Hollers,” which shares personal stories from West Virginia about harm reduction’s role in creating safety and stability for people who use drugs. (You can purchase a copy of the photo essay here.)

Alabama

The Alabama Opioid Overdose and Addiction Council has released the 2024 Annual Report.

In 2023, the Legislature approved $1.5 million for the Alabama Department of Corrections to deliver opioid treatment and pre- and post-release services for justice-involved individuals and $8.5 million for the Alabama Department of Mental Health to establish community grants. The Alabama Department of Mental Health received 67 grant proposals for these funds, with awards expected to be issued by the end of 2024 and services implemented in early 2025.

For 2024, the Legislature approved a second $30 million appropriation through Act 2024-426, with key allocations including:

• $20.51 million to the Alabama Department of Mental Health, including $3 million for the 988 crisis line, $8.06 million for prevention, treatment, and recovery grants, and $3 million for a veteran’s pilot program.
• $5.49 million to the Board of Pardons and Paroles, including $1.515 million for substance abuse treatment for women and $2.3 million for housing and transitional services.
• $1 million to the Department of Corrections for medication-assisted treatment programs in state prisons.
• $1 million to Auburn University for pharmacy training and K-12 substance abuse education.
• $1 million to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, including $500,000 for a psychiatry residency in Montgomery focused on substance abuse.
• $1 million to the Alabama Department of Public Health for naloxone purchase and distribution.

Georgia

Gwinnett County has formed an Opioid Abatement Advisory Committee to review applications from organizations seeking funding and provide recommendations to the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners. The committee includes Gwinnett County Superior Court Judge Angela D. Duncan, Accountability Court Representative; Jennifer Hibbard, Executive Member of a Community Services Board Representative; Tasha Edwards, Lived Experience Representative; and Dr. James Smith, Gwinnett County Board of Health Representative.

Ohio

The OneOhio Recovery Foundation awarded more than $1 million in grants to support five projects across the state.

• Region 2 – Hope Over Homelessness – Hope Over Homelessness Hotel Program | HOH2: Recovery Supports – $81,600
• Region 8 – Dayton & Montgomery County Community Overdose Action Team – Montgomery County ODMAP Expansion: Intervention and Crisis Support – $50,000
• Region 8 – Kettering Medical Center – Kettering Health Peer Recovery Support Program by Telehealth in Emergency Departments in Montgomery County: Recovery Supports – $475,000
• Region 12 – The Boys & Girls Club of Washington County – Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington County Prevention Programming: Prevention – $100,650
• Region 14 – Franklin City Schools – PATHS: Positive Actions To Help Success: Prevention – $304,000

Pennsylvania

Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties have pooled settlement funds to establish the Connections Emergency Behavioral Health Crisis Walk-In Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The center offers 24/7 immediate access to mental health and substance use crisis care for individuals aged 14 and older, regardless of insurance or ability to pay. The facility provides walk-in urgent care and 23-hour crisis stabilization services and houses a mobile crisis response team to assist individuals in the community.

South Carolina

Hampton County is seeking applicants to serve on the South Carolina Opioid Recovery Fund (SCORF) Committee, which will oversee the use of opioid settlement funds within the county. The committee consists of seven (7) members appointed by the Hampton County Council, including:

• Two members of the Hampton County Council
• One healthcare professional experienced in addiction treatment
• One representative from local law enforcement
• One representative from the Hampton County Health Department
• Two members of the public, preferably individuals directly affected by the opioid epidemic or active in related community organizations

Committee members will serve a three-year term with the possibility of reappointment. Applications must be submitted by February 17, 2025.

Tennessee

Knoxville City Council postponed a resolution to apply for $1,750,000.00 from the Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council on behalf of the Knoxville Police Department. No information regarding how the funds would be used was provided in the public record. 

News reports that 12 nonprofit organizations in Madison County were selected to receive a portion of available funds, each awarded just under 67% of their requested amounts. While the complete list of recipients has not yet been released in meeting minutes, the article notes that $60,000 was allocated to the Jackson-Madison County School System for an engineering study related to the Pope School project. The study will assess traffic patterns around the new school site.

West Virginia

Ohio County allocated $25,000 to purchase 10 video laryngoscopes for emergency crews in ambulances. The new equipment replaces older models at the end of their usable life. The county also allocated approximately $18,000 for a new dual-purpose K-9 for the sheriff’s office. The current K-9 is nearly 10 years old and approaching retirement. The new K-9 will be trained for both drug and firearm detection.

Kentucky — KYOAAC application portal for “Prevention” and “Treatment and Recovery Support” (DUE 1/17/25)

Pennsylvania — DDAP application info. (“primary physical health care providers, hospitals, rural health centers, or federally qualified health clinics“) (DUE 1/24)

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — application info. (DUE 1/30)

Anderson County, Tennessee — application info. (DUE 1/31)

Orange County, North Carolina — application info. (DUE 2/21)

Weirton, West Virginia — application info. (“[f]unding decisions are made by the Weirton City Council”)

Alabama

Oversight Commission on Settlement Funds

• TBD
• In-person in Montgomery, AL
• Can watch live on their website (choose ‘Room 200’ for location then ‘Oversight Commission on Alabama Opioid Settlement Funds’ for meeting)

You can also watch livestreams and recordings on The Alabama Channel (thanks to the League of Women Voters of Alabama Education Fund)

Georgia

Georgia Opioid Settlement Advisory Commission 

• TBD (late February or early March 2025)

Kentucky

Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission (info here)

• Business Meeting: March, 11 2025, 1pm EST
• In-person located in Frankfort, KY and attendees can give public comment
• Can watch live and recordings on their YouTube channel
• Prevention/Reform/Compliance Subcommittee Meeting: TBD
• In-person located in Frankfort, KY
• Treatment & Recovery Subcommittee meeting: TBD
• In-person located in Frankfort, KY

Maryland

Opioid Restitution Fund Advisory Council (info here)

• TBD
• Meetings are all-virtual. Can watch live via Google Meet & there is usually an opportunity for public comment

New York

Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board (info here)

• TBD
• In-person located in Albany, and attendees can give public comment
• Can watch live and recordings on their website

Monthly ‘Community’ meeting: 4th Wednesday of the month at 12pm

• See this page under ‘Community Input’

Ohio

OneOhio Recovery Foundation Board (info here)

• Full Board Meeting: February 12 2025, 10:30am EST
• In-person meetings are located in Columbus and are open to the public, but there is usually no opportunity for public comment
• Can watch live and recordings on their website
• Audit & Finance Committee: TBD
• Executive Committee: TBD
• Grant Oversight Committee: TBD
• Personnel Committee: TBD
• Investment Committee: TBD

Regional Information Sessions (see events calendar for most up-to-date info)

• TBD

Pennsylvania

Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust (meeting info here)

• Board of Trustees Meeting: February 13, 2025 1:30pm EST
• In-person located in Harrisburg
• All are virtual and can be watched live via Zoom and recordings on YouTube 

South Carolina

Opioid Recovery Fund

• SCORF Board Meeting: March 5, 2025, 10:00am EST (info here)
• Coffee Chat: February 7, 2025, 9:30am EST virtual
• This is held the first Friday of the month and is an opportunity to ask questions and hear announcements about opioid settlement funds
• The SCORF Board will open to public comment during Coffee Chat on February 7, May 2, August 1, and November 7. Advanced registration is required to comment. (info here).

Tennessee

Opioid Abatement Council

• Meeting: March 3, 2025 12pm EST (info here)
• In-person located in Franklin, TN. (Location rotates around the state.) Meetings are also available to watch via Teams – All attendees can give public comment
• Recordings and meeting minutes are available on their website

Virginia

Opioid Abatement Authority (meeting info here)

• Grants Committee: TBD (info here)
• Finance Committee: TBD
• Board Meeting: TBD

West Virginia

West Virginia First Foundation, Inc. (meeting info here)

• Board of Directors meeting: March 2025 TBD
• Meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month