NY Attorney General Leticia James announced April 19th the delivery of the first $9 Million to the Rochester region in settlement money collected from the manufacturers and distributors of opioids. Ultimately, the Finger Lakes Region will receive up to $53 million in total over the years as part of the overall $1,500 Million in settlements with these companies.
As part of this first distribution, Ontario County received $781,354 to address the lasting local impacts of the opioid epidemic.
Attorney General James, "For more than two decades, the Finger Lakes region has been ravaged by the opioid crisis, but today, opioid makers and distributors are paying for it. These funds are crucial in fighting the opioid crisis and will go a long way in helping New Yorkers get the support they need to recover. No amount of money will ever make up for all that we have lost, but these funds will help prevent future devastation.”
In the Finger Lakes Region, the $9 Million distribution was shared as follows:
City of Rochester: $390,918
Genesee County: $423,876
Livingston County: $404,888
Monroe County: $5,597,620
Ontario County: $781,354
Orleans County: $246,260
Seneca County: $230,746
Wayne County: $592,953
Wyoming County: $245,544
Yates County: $147,872
The first payments come from settlements with opioid distributors — AmerisourceBergen Corporation, Cardinal Health, Inc., and McKesson Corporation. Later this year, counties in the Finger Lakes and Rochester will receive additional payments from the settlements with Endo Health Solutions, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and Allergan. In addition, counties and cities will receive funds from the New York State Opioid Settlement Fund, which is managed by the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS).
While Ontario County's exact plan remains unclear, Monroe County Executive Adam Bello noted that Monroe County will place "Every penny" of the nearly $5.6 Million the county received "into a trust fund we created to ensure the entire opioid settlement goes directly to addition services, prevention, treatment, and recovery,"
Now that the money is in hand, more information regarding Ontario County's specific plans to use the funds may emerge in upcoming Board of Supervisors and subcommittees (Health & Human Services, Ways & Means) meetings. You can find meeting schedules, agendas and minutes of past meetings here.
Victoria Freile (Democrat & Chronicle) reported on the announcement here: