State to disburse $81 million in opioid settlement funds after county’s lawsuit dismissed
- Funds
- January 14, 2023
- No Comment
- 10
The state could begin distributing $81 million from a multi-state opioid settlement as early as late January after a judge dismissed a West Michigan county lawsuit that had delayed distribution.
A lawsuit filed by Ottawa County government challenged the method for allocating funds to various Michigan counties.
A Wayne County judge on Friday, Jan. 13 granted the state’s motion to have the legal action dismissed.
In a prepared statement, Nessel said that disbursements to local jurisdictions was to begin in the fourth quarter of 2022, but Ottawa County’s legal challenge delayed the process.
She described the legal challenge as “frivolous.”
Settlement funds will go the state, but also directly to more than 250 counties, townships and municipalities.
The majority of funds must be used in areas of opioid treatment and prevention.
Settlement funds are coming from agreements with three national pharmaceutical distributors and manufacturer Johnson & Johnson, paid out over 18 years.
More from MLive
‘Had to be terrifying,’ Grand Rapids police chief says of two girls carjacked by armed teen
Widespread 911 outage across Michigan spurs $6 million network ‘resilience’ upgrade
$176.6M affordable housing project will create nearly 700 units across Michigan
