EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County is offering grant opportunities to non-profit and local government providers in an effort to combat the opioid epidemic.
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The Madison County Mental Health Board is accepting request for proposals until March 17 on its opioid remediation settling funding.
“This is a part of monies that are flowing from settlements with big drug companies," Mental Health Board Director Deborah Humphrey said.
In November 2022, State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced that Madison County would receive and estimated $3.7 million in funding as its share of the settlement on behalf of local governments across the country in litigation against three distributors of opioids — AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson — and one manufacturer of opioids, Janssen.
Haine said the companies agreed to pay $26 billion to litigants over 18 years. In 2022, Madison County received its first two installments, totaling $243,323.
“Pursuant to the settlement agreements, Madison County is obligated to use the settlement funds to support opioid remediation programs in the community,” Haine said.
Each year, the county must outline how it will spend its share of that money to combat the opioid epidemic. The settlement terms allow the funds to be used for a range of programs that includes training for first responders, youth education, treatment and support services, support to those involved in the criminal justice system and research.
The county will be required to provide documentation to the Illinois Attorney General that the funds support opioid remediation programs.
Humphrey said that the RFA for the Opioid Settlement Funding is available for Madison County providers to submit for funding consideration.
“This funding will bring an opportunity to address and alleviate some of the effects Madison County has experienced with this ongoing opioid epidemic,” she said.
Funding applications can be found on the Mental Health Boards website at: https://www.madisoncountyil.gov/departments/mental_health/index.php under the “news” section.
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