The Bucks County Administration Building in Doylestown Borough.
Bucks County is expected to receive approximately $45 million over the next 18 years through a national opioid lawsuit settlement, and the first uses for that money have been announced.
Recently, the Bucks County Opioid Advisory Committee released its 18-month roadmap for directing the spending of the first amounts of funding.
Bucks County Drug and Alcohol Commission Executive Director Diane Rosati said the proposed expenditure of money targets prevention, treatment, and recovery supports, as well as project oversight and evaluation. Click here to read the full report.
One of the first major impacts of the proposal is committing $900,000 in settlement funds toward the creation of a countywide behavioral health crisis center in Doylestown Township. The center, which was first discussed in 2020, would partner county government and social services, partner organizations, and law enforcement. Presently, Bucks County does not have a behavioral health crisis center and officials have said it is needed. Work on planning the behavioral health crisis center is underway.
The county will spend $300,000 in settlement funds to extend residential length of stay in treatment for Bucks Countians.
About $75,000 in the funds will be used to work with those in treatment and recovery to use rideshare services to get to the services they need.
About $100,000 in settlement funds will be used to offer grief support groups for residents.
The county plans to put $60,000 in settlement money toward expanding recovery housing to licensed owners.
The county plans to devote $200,000 in settlement funds to expand peer support and case management services for those with substance use disorders.
Approximately $150,000 in the funds will be used to ensure there is a warm handoff for those who survive an overdose. The goal is provide immediate access to treatment.
The county looks to invest $100,000 in settlement funds to expand mobile engagement services.
The Bucks County Department of Corrections is proposed to receive $150,000 in settlement funds to provide payment for Medication Assisted Treatment for inmates with opiate use disorders who are in county custody.
About $200,000 in settlement funds will be used to expand the co-responder program to Upper Bucks County. Presently, the co-responder program is in Lower Bucks County.
The county plans to use $200,000 in settlement funds to fund a full-time probation officer to work with drug court.
Approximately $175,000 will be used to provide a evidence-based community health program with goals of improving pregnancy outcomes, improving child health and development, and improving economic self-sufficiency.
The county is looking to expand services provided to grandparents raising kids whose parents have been lost by opiate use disorder. The county will use $50,000 in settlement funds to support the effort.
The county will use $200,000 in settlement funds to set up one cottage for women with substance use disorders. At the cottage, the women and their kids will receive housing and case management support.
The county is looking to use $50,000 in settlement funds to create a mobile mock teen bedroom and stock the room with items of concern, including drug/alcohol, mental health, human trafficking, and suicide-related items that can be disguised or hidden. The goal is to have it travel the county to teach parents.
Approximately $125,000 in the funds will be used for the county to purchase and distribute opioid overdose reversal medication.
About $125,000 in settlement funds will be used to offer various skill building prevention programs.
The county is looking to use $350,000 in settlement funds to set up community-based mini-grants.
The county plans to spend $150,000 in settlement funds to run awareness and advertising campaigns on resources, drug trends, treatment, and medication/syringe returns.
The county is looking to use $50,000 in settlement funds to provide summer camps, adventure experiences, and recreational activities to support to kids with families where substance use is prevalent.
Approximately $2,500 will be used to expand the Bucks County Drugs and Alcohol Commission website.
Expand the ability to provide fentanyl test strip distribution and materials to the community using $30,000 in settlement funds.
About $400,000 in settlement funds are expected to be used to cover the cost of administering the opioid settlement.
In the future, the Bucks County Opioid Advisory Committee will present more plans for the funds to the public and county commissioners.
Rosati said the plan for the initial batch of settlement funds came together with input from the advisory board, residents, experts in the field, and other stakeholders.
“This is a great roadmap for the county to follow over the next 18 months,” said Commissioners Chairperson Bob Harvie, a Democrat who helped create the advisory committee.
Bucks County Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo, a Republican, celebrated the use of the funds to help fight the impacts of the crisis.
As part of an agreement with input from local and county governments and negotiated by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office and other governments across the country, the opioid settlement agreement with the nation’s three major pharmaceutical distributors – Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen – and Johnson & Johnson was reached earlier this year. Statewide, $1.07 billion is set to come to governments to help cover the impact of the opioid epidemic over the years.
As part of the settlement, all Bucks County municipalities, county government, and the district attorney’s office all agreed to end their lawsuits against the companies.
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