Allegheny County announces funding allocation for opioid settlement money
On Thursday, Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato announced the county a $20 million opioid settlement funding investment in an effort to continue battling the opioid epidemic.
"Combatting substance use disorder with compassion and effective interventions is a priority for me and my administration," Innamorato said. "Transparency is crucial in spending these settlement dollars, and we want people to be aware of the initiatives Allegheny County is embarking on. These projects will support individuals struggling with opioid use disorder and their families and communities looking for services."
According to information from the county, in 2017, more than 800 residents were lost to opioid overdoses, the highest local number on record. This year, even as data continues to be finalized, the preliminary numbers have shown a significant decrease in overdose deaths.
The key investments in these funds from settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors will include expanding access to medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder, supporting treatment programs within the Allegheny County Jail, increasing services in highly-impacted communities, and expanding supportive housing options for those with opioid use disorder.
"With this investment, we now have an additional $20 million out on the street, going directly toward efforts to combat the opioid epidemic," said Erin Dalton, Director of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services. "These critical investments will fill gaps that we heard about directly from the community, including that people will have access to medication-assisted treatment not only in the community but also in the jail, and that people can receive housing supports to help them sustain their recovery."
The county began getting opioid settlement funding in 2022 and is expected to continue to receive a median of $7.2 million per year through 2038. The funding will be used for prevention, treatment, recovery, and other approved uses defined in the settlement's guidelines.
Allegheny County is also releasing a new open solicitation for individuals and organizations to share ideas for investing these funds, and you can learn more about it .
