FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2024
OPIOID TRUST FUND RECIPIENTS REPORT EXPENDITURE OF NATIONAL SETTLEMENT FUNDS ON BROAD RANGE OF OPIOID MITIGATION AND REMEDIATION STRATEGIES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Opioid Trust Fund Recipients Report Expenditure of NATIONAL SETTLEMENT Funds on Broad Range of Opioid Mitigation and Remediation Strategies
Harrisburg, PA – April 16, 2024 – The Pennsylvania Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust is pleased to announce that counties, District Attorneys and subdivisions (e.g., townships, cities, and boroughs) across the Commonwealth have self-reported spending and committing over $70 million on a wide-range of programs to combat the opioid epidemic. The breath of services and programs offered by entities across Pennsylvania demonstrate a commitment to battling opioid misuse and addiction abatement across its lifecycle, from programs focused on expectant mothers and infants to programs aimed at supporting people in treatment and recovery.
For the period of August 1, 2022 to December 31, 2023, counties and subdivisions reported the expenditure and/or spending commitments of over $70 million in Opioid funds to finance and subsidize 368 remediation programs. Approximately $102 million was distributed to these counties and subdivisions in 2022, so 68% of funds received have been spent or committed. Counties have until June 30, 2024 to expend the remaining 32%. Moreover, more than $66 million was distributed by the Trust in December 2023, the expenditure of which will be detailed in next year’s reports.
As required by the national opioid settlements, funds distributed by the Trust to counties and subdivisions, which account for 85% of the total funds distributed, must be used for initiatives aimed at prevention, treatment, and recovery, as detailed in Exhibit E to the national opioid settlements. Exhibit E is separated into two Schedules (Schedule A and Schedule B), which each detail the various permissible expenditures of opioid Trust funds. Among the 368 remediation programs reported, 127 were identified as Schedule A (Core Strategy), 241 were identified as Schedule B (Approved Use), and 6 were unspecified. While the numbers are still preliminary and subject to review by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, an estimated $22 million was spent and committed to programs in Schedule A and an estimated $49 million was spent and committed to programs in Schedule B. The Trust’s working groups have been meeting to conduct preliminary reviews of expenditures for compliance with Exhibit E with additional review to be conducted at public meetings scheduled for May 2 and June 20, 2024.
For more information about the Pennsylvania Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust, please visit the Trust’s website at: https://www.paopioidtrust.org.
Contact:administrator@paopioidtrust.org
About PA Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust:
The Pennsylvania Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust (the “Trust”) was established by Order (“Order”) of the Honorable Lori Dumas of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania on July 12, 2022. The Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of thirteen members. The Trust received funds from settlements entered into by the PA Office of Attorney General and opioid manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacy companies. The Trust distributes those settlement funds to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, counties and certain subdivisions as directed by the court order, for use by those entities exclusively to abate the opioid crisis in Pennsylvania. The Trust is responsible for receiving and investing settlement money, disbursing annual settlement funds, reviewing county and subdivision certifications and annual reports on spending, and preparing an annual report and accounting to the authorizing court.
Opioid Trust Fund Recipients Report Expenditure of NATIONAL SETTLEMENT Funds on Broad Range of Opioid Mitigation and Remediation Strategies
Harrisburg, PA – April 16, 2024 – The Pennsylvania Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust is pleased to announce that counties, District Attorneys and subdivisions (e.g., townships, cities, and boroughs) across the Commonwealth have self-reported spending and committing over $70 million on a wide-range of programs to combat the opioid epidemic. The breath of services and programs offered by entities across Pennsylvania demonstrate a commitment to battling opioid misuse and addiction abatement across its lifecycle, from programs focused on expectant mothers and infants to programs aimed at supporting people in treatment and recovery.
For the period of August 1, 2022 to December 31, 2023, counties and subdivisions reported the expenditure and/or spending commitments of over $70 million in Opioid funds to finance and subsidize 368 remediation programs. Approximately $102 million was distributed to these counties and subdivisions in 2022, so 68% of funds received have been spent or committed. Counties have until June 30, 2024 to expend the remaining 32%. Moreover, more than $66 million was distributed by the Trust in December 2023, the expenditure of which will be detailed in next year’s reports.
As required by the national opioid settlements, funds distributed by the Trust to counties and subdivisions, which account for 85% of the total funds distributed, must be used for initiatives aimed at prevention, treatment, and recovery, as detailed in Exhibit E to the national opioid settlements. Exhibit E is separated into two Schedules (Schedule A and Schedule B), which each detail the various permissible expenditures of opioid Trust funds. Among the 368 remediation programs reported, 127 were identified as Schedule A (Core Strategy), 241 were identified as Schedule B (Approved Use), and 6 were unspecified. While the numbers are still preliminary and subject to review by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, an estimated $22 million was spent and committed to programs in Schedule A and an estimated $49 million was spent and committed to programs in Schedule B. The Trust’s working groups have been meeting to conduct preliminary reviews of expenditures for compliance with Exhibit E with additional review to be conducted at public meetings scheduled for May 2 and June 20, 2024.
For more information about the Pennsylvania Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust, please visit the Trust’s website at: https://www.paopioidtrust.org.
Contact:administrator@paopioidtrust.org
About PA Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust:
The Pennsylvania Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust (the “Trust”) was established by Order (“Order”) of the Honorable Lori Dumas of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania on July 12, 2022. The Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of thirteen members. The Trust received funds from settlements entered into by the PA Office of Attorney General and opioid manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacy companies. The Trust distributes those settlement funds to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, counties and certain subdivisions as directed by the court order, for use by those entities exclusively to abate the opioid crisis in Pennsylvania. The Trust is responsible for receiving and investing settlement money, disbursing annual settlement funds, reviewing county and subdivision certifications and annual reports on spending, and preparing an annual report and accounting to the authorizing court.