Overton Joins Opioid Abatement Agreement To Receive Settlement Pay

Overton County has joined in an state-wide opioid abatement agreement that could bring millions of dollars back to the community.

County Executive Ben Danner said if settled, the lawsuit against pharmaceutical distributors will pay out over 18 years.

“The smaller the community it seems like the bigger the problem is,” Danner said. “From working with the inmate crew and seeing how it’s affected them, there needs to be programs to try to help especially get those people back to work and out of that cycle they are in.”

Danner said use of the funding remains up in the air. But, Danner said drug court programs could be an avenue for the funding.

Tennessee will get a share of the $26 billion since joining a broad coalition of states and subdivisions. Some $600 million to come to counties over the pay out period. The settlement is against four companies to resolve legal claims for their role in the opioid crisis.

The settlement consists of two agreements. One agreement is with the three major pharmaceutical distributors: AmerisourceBergen Corporation, Cardinal Health, Inc., and McKesson Corporation. The second agreement is with an opioid manufacturer: Janssen, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.

There will be rules that come with agreeing to accept this settlement money, but, for now, local governments are signing off and hoping to get whatever they can to make a difference in this ongoing opioid crisis.