by Charlotte Smith
According to the North Carolina Department of Justice, settlements with the big three drug distributors (Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen) and Johnson & Johnson, and a resolution of the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy proceedings, have the potential to bring as much as $850 million to North Carolina over an 18-year period to support state and local efforts to address the epidemic.
The Bladen County Substance Misuse Task Force met on Tuesday, May 18, at 6:30 pm, at Bladen Community College Auditorium, Building 9 in Dublin, N.C. Those in attendance reported the meeting as being very productive. The task force heard testimonies, conducted round-robin table discussions, and was updated on the potential settlement to bring as much as 850 million dollars to North Carolina to fight the opioid epidemic.
Mr. David Howell, Bladen County EMS Director, gave an update on the administration of Naloxone by Bladen County EMS personnel. The rise in the need for Naloxone is startling.
According to the National Institute for Drug Abuse, “Naloxone is a medication designed to reverse opioid overdose rapidly. It is an opioid antagonist—meaning that it binds to opioid receptors and can reverse and block the effects of other opioids.”
Howell explained overdoses in the county had increased substantially during the Covid Pandemic. He also noted a more significant percentage of overdoses are from semi-synthetic opiate drugs and not the pill forms of opioids like Percocet and other prescription medications.
Bladen County EMS personnel also reported more deaths have occurred from overdoses. Recently the overdoses have claimed the lives of mothers and fathers with small children.
Below is the report Howell gave on the EMS Administration of Naloxone in Bladen County.
Director of the task force Dr. Cathy Gantz and Ms. Kimbree Esters with Bladen County Schools, gave an update from the ABC Board and Education committee. Esters reminded those in attendance about current programs Bladen County Schools has in place for reporting issues.
The Say Now system allows youth and adults to submit anonymous information securely about threatening behavior such as bullying, suicidal thoughts, and gangs. To offer an anonymous report, visit www.saysomething.net or call 1-844-5SAYNOW.
Esters also explained a new program for elementary school students, but funding is needed for the program to be implemented.
Chair of the task force, Charles Ray Peterson, reported the county would receive a large amount of money from the opioid settlement fund to help with needed programs.
According to the North Carolina Department of Justice, settlements with the big three drug distributors (Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen) and Johnson & Johnson, and a resolution of the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy proceedings, have the potential to bring as much as $850 million to North Carolina over an 18-year period to support state and local efforts to address the epidemic. Peterson and Bladen County Manager Greg Martin explained that Bladen County could receive millions of dollars from the settlement.
The North Carolina Memorandum of Agreement (NC MOA) will direct settlement funds as follows:
•15% to the state (which the General Assembly would have authority to appropriate on a wide range of strategies to address the epidemic)
•80% to local governments, including all 100 counties plus 17 municipalities, allocated among those counties and municipalities through a formula developed by attorneys representing local governments in national litigation
•An additional 5% percent into an incentive fund for any county (and any municipality in that county already receiving settlement funds under the NC MOA) in which the county itself and every municipality with at least 30,000 residents (based on 2019 population totals) in the county signs the NC MOA
The task force is currently working on high-impact strategies and collaborative strategic planning. The group met around tables and addressed questions. The four main questions were:
- What else can we do as a task force to prevent substance misuse in our community?
- How can we decrease the stigma that comes along with substance misuse?
- What can parents do to prevent substance misuse with their children?
- What would have prevented you or someone you know from substance misuse?
Dr. Gantz compiled the answers the task force submitted and will report the findings at the next task force meeting for strategic planning. The next meeting will be Tuesday, June 15, 2021, at 6:30 pm at Bladen Community College in the auditorium.
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