Newton To Get $2.12M From Opioid Settlement: Mayor

Newton MA

11 April, 2022

11:06 AM

Description

NEWTON, MA — Newton will receive $2.12 million as part of a landmark settlement won by Attorney General Maura Healey and 13 other Attorney Generals around the country to hold opioid manufacturers and distributors accountable for their role in the opioid crises, said Mayor Ruthanne Fuller in a community update last week. The money is Newton's share of $210 million being distributed among Massachusetts cities and towns in addition to another $310 million the state is receiving from the settlement. It will be used to deliver programs and services to help those in our community struggling with substance use disorder and to stand up new education and prevention initiatives for residents of all ages. "This public health crisis has caused unspeakable trauma, suffering, and grief to many individuals and families across Newton," said Fuller. "While funding does not erase the pain that substance use disorders create, these funds allow us to provide prevention, education, intervention, treatment and recovery services for those impacted by the crisis that has taken the lives of thousands of people in Massachusetts. These funds will directly help fortify and expand programs and services for Newton individuals and families." The city will receive the first round of funds this summer, followed by annual installments through 2038. Fuller, along with Newton Health and Human Services Commissioner Linda Walsh and Director of Social Services Meghan Kennedy, will decide how best to invest the funds. Fuller also said the city is prioritizing the development of the Newton Substance Use Prevention Coalition, which will work to prevent the onset and initiation of substance use within the community, reduce stigma associated with substance use disorder, and support those experiencing the impacts of substances.