Funds to be used for recovery and treatment
McCreary County is now on the receiving end of a $26 billion national opioid crises settlement with four companies-distributors Cardinal Health, McKesson, AmerisourceBergen and manufacturer/marketer Johnson & Johnson. All four companies played notable roles in creating and fueling the nationwide opioid epidemic.
Kentucky is expected to receive $478.1 million to be paid out in installments through 2038. Counties and cities throughout Kentucky will receive half (approximately $239 million) of the state’s money, minus funds set aside for payment of attorney fees. The funds will be used to support addiction treatment and recovery services.
McCreary County officials expect the county to receive an estimated total allocation of $689,633, for the years spanning 2022 through 2038. The total allocation will be paid out through installments. The County will receive a total of seven payments for the year 2022 including two payments from the distributors’ settlement and five from Johnson & Johnson. The estimated 2022 total allotment of payments is $139,141.
The funding must be used to support addiction treatment and recovery services, including addressing underlying causes of substance abuse, long-term recovery, addressing barriers to treatment such as lack of transportation or housing, and overdose prevention and harm reduction (including distribution of Narcan).
