Austintown Township Trustees accept opioid epidemic settlement agreement
AUSTINTOWN Austintown Township Trustees met on Monday to accept a new settlement agreement related to the opioid epidemic.
According to an announcement from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Ohio is set up to receive $198 million from a settlement reached with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family.
The funds will be distributed according to the established OneOhio plan:
- 55% to the One Ohio Recovery Foundation
- 30% to local governments
- 15% to the state
According to Mark D'Apolito, Austintown Township Administrator, several communities rallied together and filed an action seeking to remediate the opioid epidemic and its effects on the community.
"The damage to families, the damage to the police department, the fire department, the increase in call volume. Even some of the park areas suffered," said D'Apolito.
Austintown Township filed paperwork to participate as a participating subdivision.
The money will be given through a settlement trust as part of a new agreement through the township.
"Given that it is part of a settlement trust, or an ongoing bankruptcy, we receive a small contribution each year," said D'Apolito.
To date, D'Apolito told 21 News, the township has received about $95,000 over the past few years since the first settlement was originally approved.
D'Apolito also told 21 News that, as of right now, the township has not nailed down what specifically they want to use the money for.
"We're sort of saving up the opioid money, [because] it is one-time money, and looking for a way to make a lasting impact on our community that will help us remediate the opioid epidemic," said D'Apolito.
The money cannot be used for policing or enforcement, but it could be used for addressing the damages and harm of the opioid epidemic.
"It can be used for training that would save a life if someone were suffering an overdose, or equipment that would help save a life," said D'Apolito.
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