The state of Michigan will receive at least $800 million from the multiple opioid legal settlements over the next 18 years.  More if SB 410 becomes law, maybe much more, as AG Nessel will bankrupt pharmacies across our State. Fifty percent (50%) of the settlement amount will be distributed directly to county, city, and township governments. The remaining 50% will be distributed to the state government's specially designated fund: The Michigan Opioid Healing and Recovery Fund:

https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/inside-mdhhs/newsroom/2023/10/26/opioid-settlement-website

State of Michigan is a leader in addressing opioid addiction

October 26, 2023

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has launched an opioid settlements website as part of its continued effort to provide up-to-date information about how opioid settlements funds are being invested to support programs and resources that benefit Michiganders, local communities and stakeholders. Michigan has been a leader in distributing opioid funds and ensuring the care, health and well-being of residents in need and has been recognized as a national leader in harm reduction with efforts highlighted by the National Governors Association. Michigan remains committed to 100% transparency of state dollars received.

• Michigan experienced one of the highest rates of overdoses in the country in 2017, but by 2021 had improved to a rate better than the national average.
• Michigan has recorded 6,600 overdose reversals since the 2020 launch of Michigan’s Narcan Direct Portal, which provides this opioid overdose reversal medication at no charge to community groups.
• Michigan began dispersing opioid settlements funds to local communities in January 2023, just one month after the first settlement dollars were received by the state.

Michigan began receiving initial payments in December 2022 as part of nationwide opioid settlements with pharmaceutical distributors McKesson, Cardinal Health, and AmerisourceBergen, opioid manufacturer Johnson and Johnson and consulting firm McKinsey. Plus, there are additional settlements still pending and some of those settlements will provide funding for local Michigan governments. The settlements address various lawsuits against companies across the U.S., including opioid manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies.

MDHHS has been authorized by the Michigan Legislature to invest a total of $62.4 million of the initial payments into opioid remediation efforts. These initiatives will support evidence-based programming to address and reduce harm associated with the opioid crisis. Settlements funds will help address the misuse and abuse of opioids, as well as help treat and mitigate opioid use and related disorders.

“In Michigan, we are using the long-term opioid settlements funding to address the multi-generational impact of the opioid epidemic as well as the racial disparities that exist as part of the opioids crisis,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. “The new opioid settlements website will provide important updates and transparent information to community members and advocates about these investments and make Michigan residents aware of available resources.”

The opioid settlements website provides a variety of information, such as:

• Overview and status of settlements.
• Links to resources to support implementation of opioid abatement strategies by local governments.
• Descriptions of opioid abatement investment initiatives made by MDHHS, including:
  • The MDHHS FY23 Spend Plan program planning overview document, which provides funded initiatives’ planned activities and anticipated outputs.
  • The FY23 Opioid Response Framework Report, which offers an overview of previous efforts and plans going forward.
• Information on equity-specific investments and equity considerations for all investments.

Feedback or questions regarding the opioid settlements and investments or the MDHHS opioids settlements website may be directed to MDHHS-OpioidSettlementHelp@michigan.gov.