Fri, 10/29/2021 - 12:00am
JOHN E. SETTLE JR. EDITOR FOCUS SB NEWS
Louisiana will divvy up the $325 million it expects to receive from a national settlement of opioid epidemic lawsuits to parish sheriffs, parish police juries/commissions and municipalities to provide additional treatment, response and recovery services.
The state will receive $18 million (plus) a year for 18 years.
The Caddo Commission was briefed at its last meeting (Oct. 21) by attorney John Young, who represents the parish in this class action suit against three of the nation’s largest drug distribution companies and drugmaker Johnson & Johnson.
Under the agreement agreed to by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, sheriffs will receive 20% of the money, while parishes, cities and towns will split the other 80%. This is after subtraction of administrative costs of the Louisiana Department of Human & Human Services (DHH).
A nationally devised formula that uses population, the number of opioid prescriptions and opioidrelated deaths among residents is part of the national class action settlement.
The approval of all 64 Louisiana parishes is needed by Jan. 2, 2022, if the state is to receive 100% of these allocated funds. If only 90% approvals are received, then only 60% of the funds will be directed to the state.
It is anticipated that 100% approval will be obtained by the deadline. Assuming the same, the share for Caddo Parish will be $14.5 million. The commission will determine if any of these moneys will be shared with the city of Shreveport as well as the Caddo school board.
The Caddo sheriff is expected to receive $2.9 million that may be shared with parish law enforcement agencies.
A class action suit against Walgreens, Walmart and CVS Pharmacy may net more opioid settlement moneys for distribution nationally. Additional funds may also be paid from two drug manufacturer bankruptcies.
The funds must be only used for opioid abatement, opioid education, and opioid treatment.
The commission unanimously approved the settlement proposal presented by Young. The earliest the first payment is anticipated is the summer of 2022.
THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE October 29 ISSUE OF FOCUS SB - THE INQUISITOR - SUBSCRIBE TODAY AT http://www.theinquisitor.com