March 14, 2024 By Carol Britton Meyer
Town officials are in the process of deciding how to best allocate Hingham’s share of settlement funds resulting from opioid litigation brought by states against large pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors to address substance misuse issues in the community.
As part of that effort, the Select Board voted this week to allocate $17,000 of this funding for community outreach, including speakers, events, sponsorships, training, marketing materials, support services such as transportation, and distribution of Narcan — used for emergency treatment of opioid overdose.
Hingham has received nearly $250,000 to date as part of the settlement, from a total of $1.2 million through 2038. The remaining funds will become available over time.
The four main categories the settlement money can be used for are prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery.
During an earlier meeting, Elizabeth Miller, the town’s new social worker and opioid use disorder program coordinator, emphasized the importance of focusing not only on designating funding for treatment but also on prevention and post-treatment and to compile a list of qualified treatment centers and sober houses that provide the best-quality care.
Another $8,500 was allocated from the settlement funds to pay Miller’s salary for the remainder of the fiscal year.
There’s a reporting process for communities that receive settlement funds to follow to ensure the money is utilized properly.