September 13, 2023
At the September Lake County Board meeting, the Board authorized spending over $1.5 million the county has received thus far through national settlements to address the effects of the opioid epidemic.
The County will initially use some of the funding to hire an opioid coordinator and implement an Opioid Education Program with the Regional Office of Education to provide education to schools across the county.
"The opioid crisis is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Lake County residents and, tragically, families are grieving the loss of children, parents, and even grandparents every day. While we have actively been fighting the opioid epidemic for several years, the infusion of money into Lake County to directly combat this scourge will help us do even more," said Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart. "An opioid coordinator, who will be focused on obtaining more grant funds and distributing funds to community groups who are, effectively, on the front lines of this public health crisis, is just the next step in our commitment to help those who are suffering."
In December 2021, the Illinois Opioid Allocation Agreement was approved
by the Attorney General and by Illinois counties with a population over 250,000 for the opioid settlement distributions. National settlements were reached with the Janssen group of companies and distributors in January 2022. Additional settlement agreements and litigation are currently pending in the federal court system that will add to the distributions.
Lake County is estimated to receive about $215,000 per year for 18 years for a total of approximately $3.9 million. As of July 2023, the County has received the first five years of payments totaling near $1.5 million.
The funds must be used to address the opioid epidemic through remediation. This includes focusing on the misuse and abuse of opioid products, treating or mitigating opioid use or related disorders, and mitigating other alleged effects of the opioid abuse crisis, including those injured as a result of the crisis.
"Our staff has meticulously reviewed the guidelines we must follow, determining how to best distribute the dollars across Lake County and help those who are in crisis right now," said Paras Parekh, chair of the Health and Community Services Committee. "But this crisis does not end within this county's borders, so our focus must be how to work with our partners regionally and nationally to address this crisis across geographic boundaries. We recognize opioid-related deaths continue to rise. With these funds, we can clearly do more."
The opioid coordinator will manage the county’s substance use-related activities, including funding, resource development, and service coordination; collaborate with internal and external partners, enhance deflection and diversion initiatives; develop a strategy to provide mini-grants to service providers; and enhance education regarding substance abuse and treatment options.
Some of the initial funds will also be used to develop an opioid education program, housed by the Regional Office of Education. The program would include conducting NARCAN training within all school districts, professional development training, creation of age-appropriate lesson plans to be taught within the schools beginning in January 2024, as well as conducting presentations and resource fairs at schools.
"The Regional Office of Education is looking forward to supporting school districts with this funding and being a leader in the state when legislation with NARCAN and drug education begins later this year," said Dr. Michael Karner, Lake County Regional Superintendent of Schools. "This funding will help provide local resources to our schools to address the ongoing opioid epidemic."
According to data shared by the Lake County Coroner's Office, the numbers are staggering. Within the first quarter of 2023, 43 of 53 overdoses were attributed to opioids. Of that, 38 of these contained fentanyl and 27 were solely fentanyl overdoses. In the first four months of 2023, there have been nearly four times the number of fentanyl overdoses as there was in the entire year of 2021.
"While the devastation to individuals, families, and communities by the recent actions of a manufacturer, distributors, and providers has led to the opioid settlements received to date, this settlement does not undo the damage that has been done," said Mark Pfister, Health Department's Executive Director. "These settlement funds will be used to further assist those with substance use disorders and prevent further loss of life. We are committed to seeking out and receiving additional opioid settlement funds that have been provided to the State to build additional treatment capacity both locally and regionally."
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