YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - During their Thursday morning meeting, Mahoning County Commissioners approved the expenditure of $100,000 in opioid settlement funds.

According to county commissioner David Ditzler, the funding will go to Meridian Services in Youngstown for treatment and help for people suffering from opioid addiction.

Ditzler tells us that about $350,000 a year in opioid funding is allocated to Mahoning County and that the county has a little over $700,000 from over the two years of distribution.

Ditzler went on to say when it comes to how this money can be spent, the guidelines are very strict.

"Really, this is the beginning of it. We've gotten $350 [thousand] and we're just starting to distribute the funding through those types of scenarios ... There's a board that puts together where it's going to be distributed and then we approve the allocation of the funding," Ditlzer explained.

Ditzler did not mention any specific plans for where the rest of the funding will go, but says anywhere that they're looking for areas in the county in need of help with opioid addiction.

"If we can help with anything that has to do with recovery, whether it's helping them come off drugs or find occupations or to have housing, it all plays hand in hand," Ditzler said.