{"id":13632,"date":"2022-06-22T13:19:29","date_gmt":"2022-06-22T13:19:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/imph.org\/?p=13632"},"modified":"2022-09-09T16:33:50","modified_gmt":"2022-09-09T16:33:50","slug":"press-release-imph-releases-guide-for-local-policymakers-in-use-of-opioid-settlement-funds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/imph.org\/press-release-imph-releases-guide-for-local-policymakers-in-use-of-opioid-settlement-funds\/","title":{"rendered":"Press Release: IMPH Releases Guide for Local Policymakers in Use of Opioid Settlement Funds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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READ THE FULL REPORT<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

S.C. will receive more than $360 million over the next 18 years<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Left to right: Hunter Sox, IMPH; Jared Libet, Office of the South Carolina Attorney General; Senator Katrina Frye Shealy; Attorney General Alan Wilson; Governor Henry McMaster; Representative Patricia Moore Henegan; Richard Wilkerson, IMPH Board; Sara Goldsby, DAODAS<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

COLUMBIA, S.C. (June 22, 2022) \u2014<\/strong> The South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health (IMPH)<\/a>, in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS)<\/a>, hosted a press conference regarding the recent opioid settlement and released IMPH\u2019s new report: South Carolina\u2019s Guide to Approved Uses for Investing Opioid Settlement Funds<\/strong><\/a>. The report includes recommendations by a group of subject matter experts and is meant to serve as a resource for county and municipal policymakers on appropriate strategies that can be funded by South Carolina opioid settlement funds from this and future settlements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On February 25, 2022, the National Prescription Opiate Litigation Plaintiffs\u2019 Executive Committee (PEC) finalized settlements totaling $26 billion with the \u201cBig Three\u201d drug distributors \u2013 AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson \u2013 and opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson. Fifty-two states and territories and thousands of local governments across the country signed on to the agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the national agreements, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson worked with the state\u2019s counties and eligible municipalities to allocate more than $360 million coming to South Carolina over the next 18 years. Through an agreement reached by Wilson and the litigating counties, 92% of these funds will be used to directly address the opioid crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of the South Carolina Opioid Settlement Allocation Agreement, the state has enacted legislation to allow settlement funds to be sent to approved counties and municipalities and created the South Carolina Opioid Recovery Fund Board to manage and disburse the settlement funds. The board will be comprised of nine members who will be appointed and representative of the four regions of the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IMPH\u2019s report suggests that all funds in the South Carolina Opioid Recovery Fund should be used for one or more of the following approved opioid remediation uses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n