Westmoreland County unveils 1st phase of opioid settlement spending plan

Renatta Signorini, Tribune-Review, Greensburg, Pa.
·3 min read

Jul. 14—A plan to spend the first installment of Westmoreland County's cut of a national settlement of opioid lawsuits — $2.5 million — includes boosting peer-

support resources and funding a medication-assisted treatment program at the county jail.

Tim Phillips, director of the new Department of Community Relations and Prevention, said he hopes the plan can be re-evaluated annually to determine what should continue to receive funding and what programs could be dropped or adjusted. The department replaced the previous Drug Overdose Task Force.

"I really think the first year is going to be a lot of trial and error," he said.

Rob Hamilton, county director of human services, on Thursday unveiled the first year's plan for how to spend the county's cut of multibillion-dollar settlements that resolved litigation against drug manufacturers and distributors accused of spreading opioid abuse throughout the United States.

Hamilton said he hopes the multiyear dedicated funding can help more people access treatment and bring additional prevention efforts to the county.

"If you want to make a big impact, you have to do it with the youth," he said.

Pennsylvania expects to receive $2.2 billion in the settlements. Westmoreland County and its 11 largest municipalities signed on to the first settlement phase that allocated millions of dollars over approximately the next two decades.

County officials have been working for months to formulate a plan to spend the money. Commissioners approved its implementation Thursday.

The plan calls for funding in four priority areas — treatment access and quality, recovery support services, harm reduction and prevention and criminal justice and re-entry initiatives. That means coordination among department of human services officials and Westmoreland Drug and Alcohol Commission and partnerships with community groups, providers and agencies.

Officials for years have struggled to deal with the growing impacts of the opioid epidemic. From 2014 through 2017, the number of accidental drug overdose deaths in Westmoreland County more than doubled. A record 193 drug-related deaths were reported in 2017, according to the coroner's office.

After two years of declines, 168 people died from a drug overdose in 2021. That number again dipped in 2022 with 118 deaths.

The funding plan calls for:

—$375,000 for costs related to the Department of Community Relations and Prevention, including personnel, supplies and outreach.

—$375,000 for community case management agencies to expand the current system to create more personalized treatment plans and promote successful recovery outcomes.

—$100,000 for the Westmoreland County drug treatment court to boost counseling and provide medication-assisted treatment.

—$691,000 divided among the county's 11 largest municipalities for drug prevention programs and to create resources for individuals and families. Hamilton said the municipalities will have to come up with plans for the funding.

—$450,000 for community peer support. Local agencies that work in the community will be able to employ people with experience in recovery to provide counseling and guidance to individuals with opioid addiction. Phillips said he thought that part will be a key facet of reaching people in different stages of addiction and recovery.

—$239,738 for medication-assisted treatment at the Westmoreland County Prison. That is the same amount that was included in a July 2022 $20.9 million contract with PrimeCare Medical Inc. of Harrisburg to provide those services.

The program will allow incarcerated people to use suboxone or methadone medication, which helps alleviate withdrawal symptoms for people with opioid dependence.

—$250,000 for a criminal justice liaison program to employ staff members who will coordinate with people in the criminal justice system and help them transition into community treatment programs and support services.

Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta by email at rsignorini@triblive.com or via Twitter .