2023 opioid settlement payments grow 478% 

For the second consecutive year, Wayne County government will receive more than $400,000 in opioid settlement money in 2023.

Since the county received about $411,000 last December in the first settlement installment, new settlements have been reached to hold companies accountable for their roles in the opioid addiction crisis. The Indiana Attorney General now estimates county government will receive $426,542.13 this year, according to its online distribution spreadsheet. That’s part of $872,821.65 that’s estimated to be distributed to Wayne County entities this year, a 478% increase over payments expected from Indiana’s $508 million share of a national settlement with Johnson & Johnson, AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson.

Now, Indiana also is receiving about $59.4 million from a settlement with Walmart and $219 million from an agreement with CVS and Walgreens. The state is also part of a forthcoming $128 million settlement with Allergan and Teva, plus a bankruptcy settlement with Mallinckrodt, a drug manufacturer.

Overall, Wayne County entities are currently estimated to receive $6,973,270.47 in settlement funds from 2022 through 2038. Wayne County government’s estimated share is $3,433,674.08, including an estimated $186,806.48 next year.

Richmond is expected to receive just a little less than the county. The city stands to receive an estimated $3,094,226.38 from the payouts that began last year. This year’s total is $384,374.85, with the current payout estimation dropping to $168,339.06 in 2024.

Other county communities receiving payouts are:

• Boston, $2,554.82 total, with $317.38 in 2023 and $138.99 in 2024.
• Cambridge City, $108,292.73 total, with $13,452.48 in 2023 and $5,891.57 in 2024.
• Centerville, $157,271.96 total, with $19,536.81 in 2023 and $8,556.27 in 2024.
• Dublin, $23,131.72 total, with $2,873.49 in 2023 and $1,258.47 in 2024.
• East Germantown, $7,112.12 total, with $883.50 in 2023 and $386.92 in 2024.
• Economy, $3,429.36 total, with $426.02 in 2023 and $186.58 in 2024.
• Fountain City, $20,622.77 total, with $2,561.83 in 2023 and $1,121.97 in 2024.
• Greens Fork, $7,848.85 total, with $974.99 in 2023 and $427.01 in 2024.
• Hagerstown, $105,116.51 total, with $13,057.90 in 2023 and $5,718.77 in 2024.
• Milton, $253.24 total, with $31.45 in 2023 and $13.77 in 2024.
• Mount Auburn, $2,048.46 total, with $254.46 in 2023 and $111.44 in 2024.
• Spring Grove, $6,352.51 total, with $789.12 in 2023 and $345.59 in 2024.
• Whitewater, $1,334.96 total, with $165.83 in 2023 and $72.62 in 2024.

Wayne County’s commissioners talked Aug. 9 about preparing to receive this year’s funding allotment. Commissioner Jeff Plasterer said the commissioners need to decide what they want to accomplish with the funding.

After receiving the 2022 payout, commissioners accepted funding applications, eventually awarding funds to seven projects. All helped provide transitional housing to assist people after they receive addiction treatment.

Commissioners agreed that county departments, such as health, probation and the sheriff, should this year be included in the award process. They plan to further discuss how they’ll award the funds in upcoming weeks.