Evergreen Reporter

Washington cities and counties will receive half of the opioid recoveries, which have reached $1.1 billion and counting

SEATTLE — Attorney General Ferguson today announced that all 125 eligible local governments have signed on to his resolution with four companies that produced or sold opioids, finalizing the resolution to bring $371.8 million to Washington state. The payments will start flowing this year. Washingtonians can use this chart to see what their community will receive to combat the epidemic.

The four resolutions are with:

• CVS: $110.7 million to Washington state over 10 years;
• Walgreens: $120.3 million to Washington state over 15 years;
• Teva: $90.8 million to Washington state over the next 13 years; and
• Allergan: $50 million to Washington state over the next seven years.

Ferguson's litigation against opioid companies has secured more than $1.1 billion for Washington state over the next 15 years.  

Half of the money from these resolutions will be paid to eligible Washington cities and counties, with the first payment to be made before the end of the year. The remainder of the money goes to the state. All of this money must be used to fund opioid remediation.

All of the eligibile local governments signed onto resolutions with the four companies, which guaranteed that Washington received the maximum amount of $371.8 million. The local governments are dividing their share of the proceeds using the same formula as the earlier opioid distributor resolution.

A full, updated list of what counties and cities are set to receive so far from finalized resolutions is available. The top five counties, including their local governments, are:

• King County, $104.4 million
• Pierce County, $48.2 million
• Snohomish County, $47.3 million
• Spokane County, $35.6 million
• Clark County, $27.1 million

“These resources are flowing to every corner of the state to address the Fentanyl crisis and improve treatment options,” Ferguson said. “This will save lives and make our communities safer.”

As part of the resolutions, Allergan will stop selling opioids for a decade and Teva cannot market opioids. CVS and Walgreens will tightly monitor opioid prescriptions and prevent patients from seeking multiple prescriptions.

Money already flowing to Washington

In October 2022, all 125 eligible local governments signed onto the $518 million resolution stemming from Ferguson’s earlier lawsuits against opioid distributors. Washington received its initial $56 million payment from the three largest opioid distributors. The next payment of $26 million will go out in July.

Local governments will determine how to spend their share, and the Legislature will determine how the state share is allocated in communities around the state. In the 2023 legislative session, the Legislature allocated $64.1 million from the opioid payments. Examples of legislative support included:

• $18,168,000 for prevention, treatment and recovery support services to address and remediate the opioid epidemic.
• $15,447,000 to tribes and urban Indian health programs for opioid and overdose response activities.
• $5,000,000 for the Department of Health to expand the distribution of naloxone through overdose education and a distribution program.
• $4,000,000 for the authority to provide short-term housing vouchers for individuals with substance use disorders.

All spending decisions must be consistent with the state Opioid Response Plan. Recoveries can be used to address the Fentanyl epidemic.

Approved strategies include:

• Improving and expanding treatment for opioid use disorder;
• Supporting individuals in treatment and recovery, including providing comprehensive wrap-around services to individuals with opioid use disorder, including housing, transportation, education, job placement, job training or childcare;
• Addressing the needs of pregnant women and their families, including those with babies with neonatal disorder;
• Preventing opioid misuse, overprescribing and overdoses through, among other strategies, school-based and youth-focused programs, public education campaigns, increased availability and distribution of naloxone and other drugs that treat overdoses, additional training and enhancements to the prescription drug monitoring program; and
• Supporting first responders.

                                            -30-

Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

Media Contact:

Brionna Aho, Communications Director, (360) 753-2727; Brionna.aho@atg.wa.gov

General contacts: Click here

Original source can be found here.