Opioid settlement funds allocated to recovery and harm reduction programs

Local organizations in Northampton and Mississippi are utilizing opioid settlement funds to expand addiction recovery and harm reduction services.

In Northampton, the city has announced the first round of awards from its Opioid Settlement Fund mini-grants program. More than half of the $120,000 committed to the program has been allocated to six proposals. These grants support a continuum of care, including harm reduction, overdose prevention, treatment, housing, maternal and child health, and food security. Recipients include HRH413, a grassroots harm reduction organization focused on outreach and housing navigation.

In Mississippi, organizations addressing opioid addiction have until October 5 to apply for the state’s latest round of settlement funding. Mississippi is expected to receive approximately $400 million over 18 years from settlements with opioid manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies. Jacob’s Well Recovery Center in Poplarville intends to apply for these funds to expand its six-month residential recovery program, specifically aiming to support women facing barriers such as housing, employment, and childcare during recovery.