BALTIMORE – Mayor Brandon Scott signed an executive order Thursday establishing the new Opioid Restitution Fund.
The fund is viewed by city leaders as a framework for administering the opioid compensation funds awarded by the City of Baltimore.
Back in June, the city announced that it had reached a $45 million settlement with Allergan, a pharmaceutical company that operates under its parent company AbbVie.
RELATED: City reaches $45 million opioid settlement
In addition to these funds, the city has reached settlements totaling $242.5 million with other major pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors.
During a press conference, Mayor Scott unveiled his plan to rapidly strengthen the Department of Health’s work to combat the overdose epidemic by allocating $20 million.
According to officials, $42 million has already been awarded to specific care providers and organizations working to combat substance use disorders and their impact on neighborhoods.
“Every community is affected by the opioid overdose epidemic, but here in Baltimore we have been disproportionately affected – particularly due to the actions of ruthless criminals in the pharmaceutical industry,” Scott said. “We decided to pursue our lawsuit against these companies to the end and forego the global settlements we were offered over time because we knew how badly our community was impacted and how important it was that these companies had proper financial accountability. But it’s not enough to win the funds – we must put them to work. This Executive Order will ensure that the reimbursement funds are managed responsibly, transparently and effectively to support our residents and communities most impacted by the epidemic – not just during this administration, but for years to come.”
On the one hand, the city plans to set up a restitution advisory board to guide the use of the funds, and on the other hand, it wants to gather the opinion of the population in personal and virtual town hall meetings, focus groups and an online survey in which citizens can submit ideas and feedback.
“With this Executive Order, Baltimore will create a clear administrative structure for the use of restitution funds that focuses on community involvement, transparency and accountability,” said Sara Whaley. “This order builds on the nation’s best practices and lays the foundation for ensuring the funds have the greatest possible impact by protecting the funds and ensuring their longevity, by thinking holistically about the role of restitution funds as part of a comprehensive overdose response, and by basing decision-making on the expertise of a diverse range of voices.”
The city administration states that the board will consist of at least 13 and a maximum of 17 members.
The board will include community members, including those with experience in substance abuse, as well as practitioners, elected leaders, and senior administration officials or those appointed by the mayor to guide the use of the city’s restitution funds.
They hope to start recruiting soon and fill the positions by the end of the year.
