Pill bottles. (File Photo)
Brick Township has received compensation in the latest round of settlements against the manufacturers of opioid pain medications that will be earmarked for various substance abuse related programs, including partnerships between the police department and healthcare providers, as well as ongoing state and county-wide diversion programs that encourage drug treatment over criminal charges.
The township has received $943,539 from the state Division of Law and Public Safety, the lead agency that has collected funding from various settlements and is responsible for distributing them to the state government itself, as well as counties and municipal governments. As part of agreements related to the litigation – primarily against the marketers and manufacturers of opioid pain medications – the state will retain 50 percent of the proceeds while a complex formula determines the share each town receives.
The funding amount per town is determined by several national datapoints, adjusted for local population, including the amount of opioids shipped to a region, the number of opioid-related deaths that occurred during relevant timeframes and the number of people who are estimated to have become addicted by opioids.
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The litigation is expected to continue to produce settlements through 2038, according to the state Office of the Attorney General.
Brick Township has used grant funding to cover its costs to participate in several anti-addiction programs – a major requirement as to how the settlement proceeds must be spent. Brick was one of the first municipalities to participate in a diversion program that allowed those suffering from opioid addiction to come to the police department seeking help, and officers were empowered to offer assistance to those they encountered during their duties. Through state-level enabling legislation, some people who would have normally faced arrest and criminal charges are offered the chance to obtain treatment instead.
Last month, the township council approved an agreement between the Brick police department and Bright Harbor Healthcare, of Bayville, to offer the “On P.O.I.N.T.” program in town. The acronym stands for “Proactive Outreach In Needs and Treatment,” with the program providing access to social workers and counselors on-site at the department two days per week. The same program also addresses wider mental health issues.
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