Over the past 15 years it is estimated that about 18,000 Massachusetts residents have died from opioid-related overdoses. Nearly 70% of those had filled prescriptions from a Massachusetts prescriber at a pharmacy doing business in the state.
In 2021 a nationwide lawsuit found that a number of companies had contributed to those deaths by engaging in misconduct such as over-dispensing and diversion of opioids. This litigation has resulted in monetary awards of several billion dollars.
In 2023, Massachusetts was allocated “abatement funds” from this settlement and will ultimately receive some $900 million to be used to mitigate the harm resulting from opioids. Under legislative action 60% of that money will be used for statewide mitigation efforts and 40% will go to the cities and towns of Massachusetts.
The Town of Groton to date has received approximately $13,000 and is expecting a total allocation of just over $43,000 through 2039.
In the spring of 2024, Groton’s Town Manager identified an initial working group to begin the process of assessing how the town might spend current and future funds and ultimately make recommendations for recovery and prevention efforts. Currently the working group includes public safety officials, as well as individuals with public health, addiction, and senior services expertise. A coordinator was also assigned from the Town Manager’s Finance Team.
Under the law that established how the funds are to be used, cities and towns have been given fairly wide latitude in terms of the types of recovery and prevention programs on which settlement money can be spent. The state requires that cities and towns incorporate community input in determining how to spend these funds with a particular emphasis on involvement of those who have been directly impacted by the opioid epidemic.
The working group has been meeting monthly and has issued a community-wide needs survey that is expected to help us focus our efforts. Please consider completing this survey which is available at https://forms.office.com/r/57zHjXG5fc . Your responses will help us determine how best to spend Groton’s Opioid Allocation. Residents with personal experience of addiction themselves or through family, friends or other loved ones are encouraged to volunteer this experience. If interested in joining our effort, contact Patricia Dufresne in the Town Accountant’s office (opioid@grotonma.gov or 978-448-1107).
