APPLETON – The Outagamie County Board on Tuesday agreed to accept the initial payment of what will eventually be a $5 million payout from a national opioid lawsuit settlement.
The $26 billion nationwide settlement comes as a result of a lawsuit by states against CVS, Walgreens and Walmart as well as a group of pharmaceutical manufacturers accused of fueling the opioid epidemic.
The Outagamie County Coroner’s office tracked 34 opioid related deaths in 2020, 31 in 2021, and 26 in 2022. There are still 35 autopsy reports waiting to come back which will likely increase the number of opioid deaths in 2022.
“This has been a long time in the making,” Tom Nelson, Outagamie County Executive said. “I am grateful to the board in addition to the governor and attorney general for making this possible. This crucial funding will help the county and local stakeholders reign in the opioid epidemic that is crushing our communities, destroying families and killing our children.”
Supervisors authorized and approved accepting the initial National Prescription Opiate Multi-District Litigation settlement payments received in 2022 totaling $867,510.
Outagamie County stands to receive more than $5 million dollars over the next 18 years.
Last year, Nelson worked closely with a handful of other county executives and administrators as well as the attorney general and governor to ensure the enabling legislation was adopted. The collaboration proved critical in securing the funding.
The settlements will allow for a broad range of approved abatement uses by state and local governments.
Developed in consultation with the nation’s leading public health experts, the list of pre-approved uses includes a wide range of intervention, treatment, education, and recovery services so that state and local governments can decide what will best serve their communities.
The board also voted to create a separate fund to provide for segregated accounting of these revenues and subsequent related expenditures as provided in 2021 Wisconsin Act 57.
Additional information on the status of the ongoing litigation can be found at: News | National Opioid Settlement.
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