Indiana communities have been hit hard by the opioid epidemic. According to the Attorney General's office, the rates of opioid prescription in Indiana reached a peak in 2021 when, on average, there were 112 opioid prescriptions for every 100 residents in the state.
To extract money from corporations who have misled Hoosier patients and doctors about the addictive nature of opioid drugs, while taking a step toward treating addiction and mitigating future damage, Indiana was part of a $26 billion national settlement with Johnson & Johnson, AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson.
Indiana received a share of $507 million for all cities, towns and counties in the state.
A formula was used to calculate the amount each subdivision is allocated. The formula included three equally weighted factors for each county, which included the number of people suffering from opioid use disorder, the number of opioid deaths and the number of opioids distributed.
The funds were further divided between the county and its cities and towns by applying an additional formula that relied on federal data to show how counties and municipalities have historically split funding for items relevant to opioid abatement.
In Senate District 27, the following counties received funding:
I am encouraged to see each county receive funding to address the opioid epidemic that has wreaked irreparable damage on our local communities. Families across our state have suffered at the hands of addiction, and I hope this funding takes a monumental step in helping Hoosiers fight and reduce opioid addiction in the future.
If you have any questions or concerns on these or other topics, feel free to contact me at Senator.Raatz@iga.in.gov or 317-233-0930.
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