Opioid settlement funds set to transform community health initiatives

During a recent city council meeting, Julie provided an update on the opioid settlement funding, emphasizing the city's ongoing efforts to address the opioid crisis through financial resources obtained from various settlements. The city of Lynwood joined the 1 Washington opioid settlement in May 2022, which established a framework for distributing funds from major opioid distributors and a manufacturer. Since then, the state Attorney General's office has filed six additional lawsuits, with Lynwood participating in all.

Julie highlighted an upcoming settlement with Kroger, which will require council authorization for the mayor to sign. The city is expected to receive approximately $2.9 million over the next 17 years, with an estimated annual disbursement of around $201,000. To date, Lynwood has received $547,848 from these settlements.

The distribution of funds is based on a methodology that considers factors such as the number of local governments involved, opioid shipments, opioid-related deaths, and the prevalence of opioid use disorder in the area. Lynwood's share of the total funds is 0.77%.

Julie outlined the approved uses for the opioid funds, which include treatment for opioid use disorder, support for recovery, prevention of misuse and overdose deaths, and addressing the needs of specific populations, such as pregnant women and those involved in the criminal justice system.

She noted that while no funds have been spent yet, discussions with various stakeholders, including the Human Services Commission and local law enforcement, have generated potential ideas for fund allocation. Julie plans to present these ideas to the council for approval in the near future, particularly in light of a potential funding opportunity related to the community transitions program, which was recently discontinued.