Berkeley County just announced receiving over $1,244,050 from the $26 billion national opioid settlement. The county plans to distribute the funds to local organizations and agencies fighting the opioid epidemic.
Organizations can apply for funding on Berkeley County’s website from 8 a.m. Friday, May 31, through Friday, June 14. The settlement money must be used for specific purposes:
- Naloxone or other FDA-approved drugs to reverse opioid overdoses
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) distribution and other opioid-related treatments
- Services for pregnant and postpartum women
- Expanding treatment for neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS)
- Expansion of warm handoff programs and recovery services
- Treatment for the incarcerated population
- Prevention programs
- Expanding syringe service programs
- Evidence-based data collection and research on abatement strategies
South Carolina will receive over $360 million over the next 18 years as part of the settlement from manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies involved in the opioid crisis.