Suffolk launches third round of opioid settlement funds

Through July 6, organizations that provide support services to combat the opioid epidemic can apply for Suffolk County’s third distribution of opioid settlement funds, officials said.

“The opioid epidemic has impacted families and communities across Suffolk County for far too long,” Eward Romaine, the county executive said in a news release about the settlement funds.

“These settlement funds are helping us expand access to treatment, strengthen recovery services, support prevention efforts and save lives,” Romaine said. “I encourage eligible organizations to apply so we can continue investing in programs that make a real difference for Suffolk County residents.”

The application is now available online, and must be completed by 8 p.m. on July 6. Information about previous awards and recipients is available through the county’s Opioid Settlement Fund Dashboard.

The county began legal action against opioid manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies in 2016, becoming the first municipality in New York State to seek compensation for the impact of the opioid crisis. The county reached its first settlement in 2021, with additional settlements secured subsequently.

“The opioid crisis is an issue that can affect anyone in our community,” Dr. Gregson Pigott, commissioner of the county’s Department of Health Services, said in the news release.

“These resources allow us to strengthen our network of providers and ensure that prevention, treatment, recovery and harm reduction services remain available to those who need them most,” he said.

The county completed two rounds of opioid settlement funding distributions, awarding more than $57 million to 50 organizations supporting 76 programs. Funding has supported treatment services, as well as prevention, harm reduction and recovery initiatives.

Applications will be reviewed by the county’s Opioid Settlement Fund Selection Panel, which includes county officials and a community advocate. Funding will be awarded to organizations providing opioid prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery services and may not be used to reimburse prior expenses.

Previous grant recipients say the support has proved meaningful.

The funding “enabled Pronto to expand critical outreach and supportive services for individuals and families affected by substance use and related hardships,” Merlisa Fairley, chief operating officer of Pronto Long Island, said in a written statement.

“The funding has strengthened our ability to provide opioid education, naloxone [NARCAN] training, wellness programming, food assistance and other community-based services that address the social and economic challenges often associated with addiction and recovery. This investment has allowed us to reach vulnerable populations in meaningful ways while helping to build a healthier and more resilient community,” she said.

Riverhead Community Awareness Program (CAP) used the funding for its ‘Too Good for Drugs’ programming to two additional elementary schools, reaching approximately 200 fourth-grade students each year,” Felicia Scocozza, CAP’s executive director, said in a written statement.

“Participants demonstrated measurable improvements in their understanding of risk factors and social-emotional skills,” she said.

“CAP staff also became certified naloxone trainers, providing overdose prevention training and kits to 286 individuals while collecting nearly 15,000 pounds of unwanted medication through expanded take-back initiatives,” she said.

“The funding also supported public awareness campaigns generating more than 1.3 million impressions and the distribution of more than 3,000 medication safety and disposal products. Overall, this investment enabled CAP to directly serve more than 2,500 additional community members who otherwise may not have been reached,” she said.

“This funding has become foundational to our overdose prevention and harm reduction efforts throughout Suffolk County,” Tina Wolf, executive director of Community Action for Social Justice, said in a written statement.

“It has enabled us to expand operating hours, including evenings and weekends, and establish a crisis mobilization team that responds rapidly to overdose clusters with naloxone distribution and connections to care,” Wolf said.

“The funding has also supported our partnership with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office to provide overdose prevention training and naloxone to Sheriff’s deputies and individuals incarcerated in the Yaphank and Riverhead correctional facilities, populations that face an elevated risk of overdose,” she added.