A Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority panel on June 9 voted to recommend more than $23 million in funding to 76 Virginia localities in the first major allocation of awards since the national settlement last year.
Payments from the various settling companies are expected to continue for at least 16 more years and will exceed $1 billion in total funding.
Sen. Todd Pillion, Chairman of the OAA, noted the Authority’s board has moved quickly to make awards. “This money is needed urgently across the state to save lives,” he said. “The OAA carefully reviewed every application to make sure 100% of these funds are going to combat the addiction crisis that is stealing lives across Virginia.”
In 2022 Attorney General Jason Miyares announced the first round of finalized settlements worth more than $500 million for the Commonwealth spread over the course of 18 years, and predicted the total will increase to more than $1 billion as additional settlements are finalized.
The OAA was established by the General Assembly in 2021 to oversee the distribution of 55% of Virginia’s total settlement funds. Of the remainder, 30% is distributed directly to cities and counties, and the remaining 15% to the commonwealth. The use of funds is restricted by court orders and state statute, with the restrictions aiming for the funds to be used for opioid abatement efforts.
Among the recommendations is a $260,199 award for Grayson and Carroll counties and the city of Galax, with Grayson acting as the fiscal agent, to enhance the existing recovery court.
A $3.4 million recommendation, with Montgomery County acting as the fiscal agent, would provide money to the New River Valley Ecosystem of Recovery, expanding in-patient treatment, medication for opioid use disorders, enhance transportation, add recovery court clinicians, expand the recovery courts, expand law enforcement education, mobile treatment an harm reduction and more in Montgomery, Giles, Floyd and Pulaski counties and the city of Radford.
A $1 million recommendation would have Smyth County serve as the fiscal agent in a plan to expand opioid treatment services and assist in providing region-wide transitional recovery housing in Smyth, Bland, Carroll, Grayson and Wythe counties and the city of Galax.
Washington County would serve as the fiscal agent in a $745,000 recommendation for a partnership with Bristol, Virginia, to buy the “Mended Women” residential treatment center for women.
