The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) announced today that it has received the first payment of more than $6 million from the National Prescription Opiate Litigation (NPOL) settlement funds. In anticipation of receiving these funds, and in compliance with state law, Last Thursday, DHS submitted its updated proposal to the legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance for how to use and invest the nearly $31 million Wisconsin was awarded from the NPOL. The NPOL funds are part of a nationwide agreement that was made with three major pharmaceutical distributors and Johnson and Johnson, to prevent, treat, and support recovery from opioid use disorder.
“The settlement funds will go a long way toward enhancing our efforts to help people with opioid use disorder and prevent future misuse, overdoses, and deaths,” said DHS Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake. “We have been committed to continuous collaboration as we have planned for these funds to arrive. Our proposed investments have been informed by recommendations from the public, advocates, providers, first responders, and other partners, to avoid a ‘one-size fits all approach’ to addressing the state’s opioid crisis.”
