In collaboration with Penn State, Temple University Center for Public Health Law Research, the University of Pittsburgh, and the Pennsylvania Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust, unveil new website with detailed, county-level information

Researchers from Penn State, Temple University, the University of Pittsburgh, and the Pennsylvania Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust have collaborated to publish a new website that provides detailed, county-level information about how opioid settlement funds are being used in Pennsylvania following the 2021 settlement to hold prescription opioid manufacturers and distributors accountable for their role in contributing to the opioid addiction epidemic in the United States. Although not created by or for the Pennsylvania Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust, the website displays data collected as part of ongoing work with the Trust, which receives, invests and distributes opioid settlement funds in accordance with the national opioid settlements. 

The settlements have required various companies to pay approximately $50 billion to be distributed among the states over nearly 20 years. So far, the Trust has distributed about $390 million.

“As attorney general, I took on the pharmaceutical companies to hold them accountable for their manufacturing of the opioid crisis – and secured over $2 billion for Pennsylvania to help local communities expand access to critical treatment, prevention and support programs that help those struggling with addiction and their families,” said Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. “Those proceeds are having a real impact – and now, thanks to the work done by researchers at Penn State, Pennsylvanians can see exactly how our county and local governments are spending that money to support those struggling with substance use disorder. This new tool provides unprecedented transparency into how this money is being used, and in my administration, we will continue to be a national leader in standing up for those who were affected by the opioid epidemic.”

Nearly 5,000 people died from drug overdoses in the state in 2023 — approximately one person every two hours.

“Not only is Pennsylvania one of the largest states in terms of the amount of money it will receive, but the state also took a unique approach in allocating 85% of the funds to the local level, including both urban and rural counties, acknowledging that the need for assistance is not limited to only larger or more populous counties,” said Dennis Scanlon, Distinguished Professor of Health Policy and Administration at Penn State and lead of the team that developed the new website.

Researchers from the Center for Public Health Law Research at Temple University Beasley School of Law contributed their expertise in scientific legal mapping methods and legal epidemiology, guiding some of the structuring of the data displayed on the website.

“Transparently monitoring, categorizing and reporting this spending in a way that will enable health outcomes research in the future is essential to making the most of this settlement and assuring the harm is reversed as much as possible,” said Scott Burris, JD, professor and director of the Center for Public Health Law Research in the Beasley School of Law and College of Public Health.

The website shows that, so far, the Trust has distributed approximately $390 million of the opioid settlement funds. Of this amount, counties and litigating subdivisions, which receive 85% of the opioid settlement funds in Pennsylvania, have spent approximately $14 million on treatment medications for opioid use disorder, $8 million on prevention strategies and $6.5 million on recovery support.

While this dashboard does not include the 15% of opioid settlement funds distributed directly to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Shapiro Administration and the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) continue to make funding available for critical substance use disorder initiatives.

Kevin Boozel, commissioner of Butler County and a member of the board of trustees of the Trust, who credits Governor Shapiro for his efforts to empower the counties to use the funds to address the gaps in services in their areas explained that the website also provides detailed, county-specific information about how the settlement funds are being spent.

“Providing detailed information about how Butler County and all the other funded entities across the commonwealth are spending their allocation is essential to ensure that the residents of Pennsylvania are engaged in the process of building healthier communities,” said Boozel.

For example, the website shows that Butler County has received more than $2.8 million to date, with nearly $300,000 dedicated to a new recovery center.

“The Recovery Center is critical to meeting the needs of individuals in our community who are seeking to retain a healthy, recovery-based lifestyle,” said Boozel. “It provides a social and recreational environment to assist individuals in building the skills and confidence they need to ensure their recovery remains an integral part of their lives.”

On the opposite side of the state, the website shows that the Bucks County Drug and Alcohol Commission has spent around $800,000 to provide residents with access to the most appropriate length of treatment.  

“Lack of adequate insurance, leading to a swift discharge, is recognized as the most important factor in relapse,” said Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia. “There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to treatment, and we are proud to be using these funds to help residents get the help they need for as long as we can.”  

Bucks County also has spent around $82,000 on public information campaigns aimed at providing residents with education about drugs and making them aware of available resources that can help.

Continued research by the consortium led by Penn State will include investigating whether the funds lead to positive outcomes over time, such as a reduction in hospitalizations, disabilities and deaths.

Explore the new dashboard at https://www.paopioidsettlementdata.org/

CPHLR has also tracked state laws directing opioid litigation proceeds across all 50 states and the District of Columbia in effect as of August 1, 2022, through December 1, 2023. Explore those data on LawAtlas.org.