Opioid Meeting with Business Commnity Jan 12
Released: January 12, 2024
Delaware County Holds Opioid Settlement Roundtable Discussion with the Business Community
Delaware County held an Opioid Settlement Roundtable Discussion with business leaders from across the county on January 5. The forum, hosted by Delaware County Council and the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, was held to engage members of the county’s business community around the opioid settlement funds that the County has received and will be receiving.
The County is receiving the funds as part of the $26 billion multi-state opioid settlement with Johnson & Johnson, AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson. Delaware County will receive a total of $63 million in 18 annual payments.
To ensure that the funds are used to combat the opioid crisis to the best of their ability, Delaware County formed an interdepartmental and interdisciplinary Task Force in 2022 to provide recommendations to County Council for short-term and immediate uses, as well as long-term programming that can be supported by the new funding. As part of the planning process, the County is also engaging with community stakeholders who share the County’s common goal of tacking the opioid abuse epidemic.
“It’s critical that Delaware County uses this funding efficiently and puts it to use immediately to tackle the opioid epidemic,” said Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor. “We have used these funds, and will continue to use them, to address addiction and its devastating impact on the lives of residents, the lives of their loved ones, and on the community.”
During the forum with the business community, the County provided a status update on the settlement planning process. Business leaders discussed the impact of the opioid crisis on their community and offered ideas on collaborating with the County to tackle the epidemic and be a part of the solution.
The County has held similar roundtable discussions with leaders of local colleges and universities. The County has also hosted several public Opioid Settlement Town Halls over last year and has offered an online community survey to gather input from residents. Future Opioid Settlement Roundtable Discussions for various groups and stakeholders are being planned.
For more information regarding the opioid settlement, visit the Delaware County Opioid Settlement website at DelcoPA.Gov/Settlement
