Luzerne County must approve plans for more opioid litigation settlement funds

Luzerne County must spend another $1.56 million in opioid litigation settlement funds by the end of this year, and outside entities will have an opportunity to submit proposals for funding consideration, officials said during a Monday night public hearing.

The hearing was held by the county’s Commission on Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement, which was created to make recommendations to county council on how to spend the funds. The latest figures indicate the county should receive approximately $23 million over 18 years from the state’s settlement against opioid manufacturers and wholesale distributors.

According to Monday’s presentation, the commission is setting up a dedicated section at luzernecounty.org that will contain links to relevant resources, including eligible uses for the funding and an application. An email to reach the commission has also been created for those with questions or suggestions: LuzerneCountyOMAAC@luzernecounty.org.

The county’s first $1 million settlement installment had to be programmed by the end of August, and the county council had unanimously voted to use the funding as follows: $625,404 to expand medication-assisted treatment at the prison; $208,468 for warm hand-off and certified recovery specialist services; and $208,468 school opioid prevention education programs.

In addition to the funds that must be committed to projects by the end of this year, another $1.7 million the county had received toward the end of 2023 must be spent by June 30, 2025, the presentation said.

County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce, a commission member, said Monday he supports using some funding toward the county’s drug court.

The court is for adults charged with non-violent criminal offenses linked to drug or alcohol addiction, officials said. To avoid jail time, participants must complete an intensive program and prove they can stay drug free, with charges being dismissed upon graduation.

Sanguedolce said the program has been “very successful” and helped prevent many relapses.

County Drug and Alcohol Administrator Ryan Hogan also expressed strong support for the program and said it has continued to grow.

Crocamo said she and other commission members have been working hard to assess the best use of the funds.

“This means a lot to our county to make sure we get it right,” she said.

Periodic reports on outcomes of the funded programs and services also are required, she said.

Hogan said the council’s approval to expand school prevention education programs was warranted to reach more age groups, particularly those 11 and 12 years old.

“The age of experimentation is younger and younger,” he said. “We’ve had some age 7 already abusing.”

In another prior-approved program, certified recovery specialists are using their own personal experience recovering from substance use disorder to help others navigate the complex drug and alcohol treatment system and deal with their overwhelming emotions, Hogan said.

Citizen commission member Mary Butera, who works as a recovery specialist, said Monday she and her colleagues hit the streets to help the homeless and others get into treatment and access food and housing.

“We just want them to know we’re here when they need us,” Butera said.