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State’s opioid settlement bureaucracy is a tangled, ineffective mess

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Illinois

* The state is in line to eventually receive $1.3 billion from opioid-related legal settlements…

Overall, Illinois has received more than $200 million from the largest national opioid settlement to date, according to the KFF Health News’ tracker. The estimated future payout from that settlement is more than $572 million, according to KFF. Additional smaller settlements will bring in hundreds of millions more over almost two decades.

But, as Olivia Olander reports, the state has thrown together a bureaucratic hodge-podge that has managed to distribute just $5 million since 2022.

* Go read the rest…

The process for distributing money from the remediation fund to community organizations is complicated, involving dozens of people and a handful of entities meant to ensure the money is used responsibly. An explanation of the process provided in one advisory board Zoom meeting included two slides, 10 steps and nearly a dozen acronyms.

Strategy ideas initially go through the office of State Opioid Settlement Administrator Wilkerson, then through the board tasked with making recommendations. Those recommendations are taken up by a steering committee led by Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, then reviewed by the attorney general’s office. The division of IDHS tasked with substance use strategizes for the plan’s implementation, then forwards it to yet another entity that handles the actual notice of funding opportunity and selection of grantees.

Only at that point would groups doing the actual work to fight the epidemic actually see the money.

All of the money so far has gone to programs previously funded by the state. Werning said organizations like his own that focus on harm reduction — seeking to reduce the physical and societal harms of opioids and keep users alive, as opposed to an abstinence-based approach — should be in line for more funding.

An illustration of the state’s process…

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 10:32 am

Comments

Sounds like Rube Goldberg designed this system in one of his cartoons.

Comment by Steve Polite Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 10:53 am
I’m not too hopeful this is going to happen BUT I’d much prefer it allocated slowly and correctly to those who were/are hurt by the drugs, then spent quickly and irresponsibly with little long-term benefit.

Comment by Lurker Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 11:22 am
jimmy RYAN just shipped the dough to Fast Eddie. Maybe they should reinflate that pipeline. Or task the state CTA directors to manage.

Comment by Annonin' Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 11:56 am
Increase funding for the Illinois Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor Workforce Expansion program. They only got $3M in the budget.

Comment by Chicagonk Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 3:58 pm
I think we need additional oversight to ensure nothing gets done with the settlement money. How much review is enough??

Comment by thisjustinagain Monday, Apr 22, 24 @ 4:20 pm