$10 million in funding recommended to fight the opioid crisis and expand treatment in Delaware

DOVER, Del. – The Delaware Prescription Opioid Settlement Distribution Commission (POSDC) has submitted its recommendations to the state on how to spend $10 million dollars in settlement funding to fight the opioid crisis.

POSDC is charged with distributing $250 million dollars in opioid settlement funds to expand access to substance use treatment and resources across the First State.

The Commission received about $74 million in requests and had about $10 million in opioid settlement funds available. It was recommended that the money go towards addressing an array of issues, most notably increasing access to critical treatment across the state, but also including matters like housing, outpatient treatment, education and other important services.

“We’re focused on making sure individuals have access to treatment,” Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long told Monday following the announcement of the recommendations. “Wrap-around services. Support in whether getting housing, support in getting the care that they need when they need it, ranging from hospital settings, ambulatory, outpatient, and then also to the preventative, the education side.”

The POSDC, co-chaired by Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long and Attorney General Kathy Jennings, is a subcommittee of the Delaware Behavioral Health Consortium, an advisory body comprised of community advocates, law enforcement, healthcare professionals, and state leaders that works towards solutions for action to address prevention, treatment, and recovery for mental health, substance use, and co-occurring disorders.

Lt. Governor Hall-Long tells us this funding comes at a critical time for Delaware as opioid overdoses continue to claim lives.

“It was very sad last week,” Lt. Governor Hall-Long stressed. “We lost, in one week, 17 Delawareans. These are young, productive individuals, our family members, they’re not in the chair at dinner tonight, they’re not at the office for work tomorrow.”

The POSDC received about $74 million in requests but only had about $10 million in funds available. Their recommendations will now head to the Delaware Behavioral Health Consortium for final approval.

If you’re suffering from mental health or substance abuse disorder and need help, visit helpisherede.com