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WA Opioid Settlement Fund Distribution as of 4/22/2024

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WA Opioid Settlement Fund Distribution as of 4/22/2024

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(See See full Excel Spreadsheet)

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This article details the latest settlement with Kroger negotiated through AG Ferguson's Office and provides a link to the updated figures to date for local Government Payouts. (See See full Excel Spreadsheet)

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(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)

Kroger is sending Washington $47.5 million to combat the opioid epidemic in an agreed-upon pending resolution championed by Attorney General Bob Ferguson.

In December 2022, Ferguson filed a lawsuit against Kroger for "illegally, recklessly and negligently" filling opioid orders without adequately investigating "red flags" of fraud or overprescribing.

More on Kroger: Kroger, Albertsons alter their merger plans, include Haggen in new deal

"My legal team took on some of the largest corporations in the world and held them accountable for their role fueling the opioid epidemic," Ferguson said. "We've won more than $1.2 billion. That's going to every community in the state to combat the opioid and fentanyl epidemic by improving treatment options, educating youth and supporting first responders."

Ferguson filed lawsuits against two other pharmacies - Albertsons and Rite Aid - around the same time as his office's lawsuit against Kroger.

Ferguson claimed Kroger had a "wealth of data" to dispense opioid medication in a safe manner, but failed to do so. For example, the lawsuit claimed the large chain allegedly paid pharmacists on how fast they filled opioid prescriptions, according to a Ferguson press conference in 2022 where he accused Kroger, Albertsons and Rite Aid of skirting federal regulations, flooding the state with opioid drugs and fueling illegal drug rings.

"Communities across Washington state are still dealing with damages caused by these companies," Ferguson said in a December 2022 press conference. "Our lawsuit demands their conduct be called out for what it is: Unfair and deceptive business practices that create a public nuisance across our state."

According to the Washington Attorney General's Office, 112 million daily doses of prescription opioids were given out across the state in 2011 - enough for a 16-day supply of opioids for every man, woman and child in Washington. In 2015, eight Washington counties had more opioid prescriptions than residents.

An average of four Washington residents died every day from opioid overdoses in 2021, with fentanyl deaths doubling from 2020 to 2021 after doubling from 2010 to 2019, according to the DEA.

The resolution, resolving Ferguson's legal claims against Kroger, will bring the total recoveries in funding to hinder the opioid epidemic to more than $1.29 billion for the Washington Attorney General's Office. Half of the resources from Kroger will go to the state with the other half going to city and county governments within the state.

Washington residents can download this spreadsheet to see what their local government will receive from the near-$1.3 billion as a result of the Attorney General's litigation to combat the opioid epidemic.

More on Kroger-Albertson merger: History is doomed to repeat itself if Kroger-Albertsons merger happens

The $47.5 million will be paid over the next 11 years. The first payment, equaling $4.3 million, is expected to come within a few months of the resolution being finalized.

Recent spending of the $1.29 billion allocated to combat Washington's opioid epidemic included $3 million to establish three additional health engagement hub pilot program sites while another $1.5 million was provided to establish high-intensity community-based teams serving people with opioid use disorder. Nearly $4.5 million was provided to the Department of Corrections for health care services.

The Health Care Authority was provided $2 million to fund a tribal opioid prevention campaign.
Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.

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Kroger to pay nearly $50M to Washington to combat fentanyl crisis

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Kroger is sending Washington $47.5M to combat the fentanyl epidemic in a pending resolution championed by Attorney General Bob Ferguson.

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Here are links to the Meeting Packet, Padlet, Notes, and Video.   Any input on the notes is invaluable! Please share any corrections or insights with me for incorporation.

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If, no: Complete the NCE Work Plan through this 8/2024.

If Yes, be intentional over the next 6 months to:

Identify self-defined Rural/Frontier geography areas

Identify core stakeholders we'd like to recruit

Recruit!

Begin the process of assessing need and creating a coherent voice and needs to take to potential funders

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Transportation - Ideal Options - NEEDS UPDATING

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Transportation - Ideal Options - NEEDS UPDATING

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Contract and Implement Transportation & Peer Outreach Specialist to Facilitate Service Connection from frontier rural areas to in-county services
See Proposal 1   & Proposal 2  as of 9/2023

Total $117,728

Contract ETA in Sept 2023 was :  Aug -Sept. 2023

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Can we use an existing campaign for this?

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Can we use an existing campaign for this?

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Lori to investigate with Juliet. Welcome ideas/insights from those at this table!

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Develop/Implement Youth Prevention Campaign 

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Develop/Implement Youth Prevention Campaign 

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Darrington Reps went to Montana Summer Institute Program, see Funds Request)

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Mental Health Counselor - Darrington - NEEDS UPDATING

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Mental Health Counselor - Darrington - NEEDS UPDATING

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Amend Contract and Implement School-Based Mental Health Student Counseling
Proposed to fund 1.5 FTE school counselors in the northern rural census tract:  - $100,500 for 1.0 FTE for 2023-24 Darrington School District School Counselor position #1; - $51,500 for .5 FT for 2023-24 Darrington School District School Counselor position #2

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Thank you Amy for 3/27 Darrington Training!

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Thank you Amy for 3/27 Darrington Training!

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Darrington Library: Set for 6/26 3-5:30p

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Darrington Library: Set for 6/26 3-5:30p

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Please add any insight/ideas to support the planning for Tedra coming to the Darrington Community in the comments below. Note that:

Librarian Manager Asheley Byron has reserved the Darrington Library meeting room for 6/26 from 3-6p to allow set-up, community convo and take-down

How best to recruit/get commitment from community leaders, Law, EMS, Mayor, etc committed to attending?

Effective Channels to advertise the event?

Can we fund food to make attending more compelling?

Could we arrange to put up an emergency naloxone access point outside the library in time for this event. (Asheley liked the idea...need to purchase /install, provide naloxone supply.

Worth exploring if/how we tie this into a Prevention Campaign?

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Invite Courage to Change to the SHC Table?

Track Settlement Funded/HHS-anchored MMU

What we know so far:

*Mobile MAT Unit – contracted with WCHS Lynnwood Comprehensive Treatment (Acadia)

*The Mobile Unit is under construction (don’t have a start date yet)

*Currently no sites have been secured but will be securing 2 sites in Rural East County

*MAT Services contracted for: Methadone, Suboxone & Vivitrol

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4/30 - Marree Perrault expressed excitement about the Darrington youth coalition starting their peer-to-peer training, showcasing a win in engaging younger community members in meaningful roles.

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Complete Contract Approval Process

School District Invoices SCHD/grant for 2023-24 Payments?

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Naloxone Distr/Training for School Personnel?

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Naloxone Distr/Training for School Personnel?

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1. The decision has been made for HHS to take over the distribution of Naloxone for schools in Snohomish County, streamlining the process to ensure consistency across different educational institutions.

2. Is there an opportunity to provide training for school personnel?

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Southern Tract:  Monroe Cmmty Ctr  6/27 - 10-1p

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Southern Tract:  Monroe Cmmty Ctr  6/27 - 10-1p

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Please add any insight/ideas to support the planning for Tedra coming to the Darrington Community in the comments below.

We need a place, date, time, (Is there an event that might already occur on June 26th that we could piggy-back onto?)

How best to recruit/get commitment from community leaders, Law, EMS, Mayor, etc committed to attending?

Effective Channels to advertise the event?

Can we fund food to make attending more compelling?

Worth exploring if we tie this into a Prevention Campaign?

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If Continuing, Key Stakeholder Groups to Recruit?

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If Continuing, Key Stakeholder Groups to Recruit?

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Schools Districts?

Nearest Physical and Behavioral Health Providers to rural/frontier areas?

local Government rep

Faith-based Rep?

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Contract and Implement Transportation & Peer Outreach Specialist to Facilitate Service Connection from frontier rural areas to in-county services
See Proposal 1   & Proposal 2  as of 9/2023

Total $117,728

Contract ETA in Sept 2023 was :  Aug -Sept. 2023

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Clarify who in HHS and SCHD to work with to identify funding for 2024-2025 (or longer) school year (Ideally could use 3 FTE) and set requests in motion now to assure service providers are retained for current counselors and if appropriate, get additional counselor recruitment effort underway

Lori to introduce the SHC's work with these Darrington community players:

Health Care - Local Clinic Providers

Gary Schillhammer, longterm Doctor - gschillhammer@skagitregionalhealth.org

Kelli Kraft

- kkraft@skagitregionalhealth.org

Devon Kienzle -  DKienzle@skagitregionalhealth.org

Community & Faith Organizations

Janet Loyd - jloyd@frontier.com

Tim Ziesemer - pastortimz@gmail.com

Contact information for Sauk-Suiattle Tribe?

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Other trainings in North/South Rural Tracts?

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Other trainings in North/South Rural Tracts?

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Who/Where/When?

Libraries?

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Naloxone Zine developed by Shannon Kidd @shannonkidd.com for JeffCo's BHC & Public Health Harm Red

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Shannon Kidd (@ Shannonkidd.com) created this Naloxone guide to support Jefferson County's Harm Reduction program. It's funded by a HRSA RCORP-Implementation...

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Please add any insight/ideas to support the planning for Tedra's Train-the-Trainer event in the comments below.

We need a place, date, time, (Is there an event that might already occur on June 26th that we could piggy-back onto?)

How best to recruit/get commitment from community leaders, reps from Law, EMS, county agencies like HD, HHS, etc committed to attending?

Effective Channels to advertise the event?

Can we fund food to make attending more compelling?

Worth exploring if we tie this into a Prevention Campaign?

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Educate Ourselves on Who the Funders Are

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Educate Ourselves on Who the Funders Are

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Local/Regional

North Sound Behavioral Health Administrative Services (NSBH-ASO) (Also the Opioid Abatement Council distributes Opioid Settlement funds out to Counties)

North Sound Accountable Communities of Health

County Health & Human Services - Behavioral Health

County Health Dept thru related grants (OD2A)

County Dept of Emergency Management (DEM) administers Opioid Abatement/Settlement Funds that come from NSBH-ASO)

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Get the contracted funds for this position to Ideal Options

Where are the opportunities to best integrate this Peer into Sky Valley's system of supports and service connection to best leverage this position's capacity?

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Emergency Boxes? (Library? Community Centers?)

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Emergency Boxes? (Library? Community Centers?)

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Explore if/where Emergency Naloxone kits could be offered in the rural census tracts for "no contact procurement" for family members and community members who want to be prepared. Libraries? Community Centers? Rural Transit Centers? Where Food Banks interact with public?

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CDMH 2023 Budget vs Actual Expenditure Plan

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CDMH 2023 Budget vs Actual Expenditure Plan

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I've included this document that, while not relevant date-wise, gives a more detailed breakdown of who is considered part of each line item.

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SHC Mtg Pkt, Padlet, Video and Notes

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Feedback on 4/25 Meeting or other topics?

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Feedback on 4/25 Meeting or other topics?