With limited resources, those involved in the area battle to combat the opioid crisis have tried to stem the tide of addiction and the overdose deaths that go with it.
While it’s too early to say when or if that decades-long battle can be won, those resources will be much more plentiful in the future.
In a news release, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that up to $1.5 billion will be going to communities throughout the state to fight the epidemic. The money comes from settlements James negotiated following her 2019 lawsuit against manufacturers and distributors responsible for the crisis.
“For more than two decades New Yorkers have experienced the dire and deadly effects of opioids, but today we are starting the process of delivering up to $1.5 billion to New York’s 62 counties to help our communities rebuild,” James said. “Today we begin to heal New York with these funds that will help turn the tide on the opioid crisis.”
As part of the announcement, James began a “Heal NY” tour that saw stops in New York City and Long Island Monday, and the Capital Region Tuesday. James will make stops in dozens of counties this month, although a spokesman for her office said future tour stops have not been announced.
The news release listed funding so far for the Finger Lakes region, which includes Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates counties (see accompanying box). It also includes Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Orleans, and Wyoming counties.
Ontario County Administrator Chris DeBolt said county officials have discussed the settlements, and a significant portion of the funds must be used to address substance abuse and other issues exacerbated by the proliferation of prescription drugs.
DeBolt added that over the past year a county panel dubbed the “Campbell Commission” has addressed the role drug addition plays in the criminal justice system. It is named for West Bloomfield Supervisor Todd Campbell, who chairs the panel.
“The commission has identified several important and innovative ideas that could help address the needs of the community as it relates to addiction and improving criminal justice outcomes,” DeBolt said. “The finalization of these settlements and the proposed revenue streams stemming from them may offer an opportunity for Ontario County to implement impactful programs to help address some of the destruction these prescription drugs have wrought on all of our communities.”
Wayne County Administrator Rick House and Jim Haitz, director of Wayne Behavioral Health, said they will be meeting with Diane Devlin — the county’s director of public health — on how best to use the funding.
“We will be targeting strategies that address combating the opioid crisis on a variety of levels including public education and prevention efforts, treatment services, and recovery supports,” Haitz said.
The lawsuit James filed in 2019 was — at the time — the nation’s most extensive against the manufacturers and distributors of opioids. James said they were responsible for heavily marketing opioids to doctors, hospitals, and healthcare systems, leading to the overprescription of drugs across New York and the United States over last two decades.
Those manufacturers include Purdue Pharma and its affiliates, as well as the Sackler family (owners of Purdue) and trusts they control. It also includes Janssen Pharmaceuticals and its affiliates, including its parent company Johnson & Johnson.
Distributors named were McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health Inc., Amerisource Bergen Drug Corp., and Rochester Drug Cooperative. The latter has filed for bankruptcy protection.
Every county in the state is expected to approve the settlements. Seneca County Manager Mitch Rowe said the county Board of Supervisors has already done so.
Yates County Administrator Nonie Flynn said the county Legislature has approved resolutions to join in two settlements. The county is expected to get about $420,000 to $795,000 over 10 to 18 years.
“These funds will be used by the county to abate the epidemic including treating opioid disorder, preventing the misuse of opioids and overdose deaths,” Flynn said. “Certainly, some of the funds will be spent within our jail to help inmates.”
While a number of companies have settled with New York and other states, trials for other companies have started.
“While no amount of money will ever compensate for the millions of addictions, the hundreds of thousands of deaths, or the countless families torn apart by opioids, this money will be vital in preventing future devastation,” James said.
