BALTIMORE — Mayor Brandon Scott signed an executive order Thursday to establish the new Opioid Restitution Fund.
The fund is seen among city leaders as a framework for the administration of opioid restitution funds won by the City of Baltimore.
Back in June, the city announced it reached a $45 million settlement against Allergan, a pharmaceutical company that operates under the parent company AbbVie.
RELATED: City reaches $45 million opioid settlement
Along with those funds, the city has reached a total of $242.5 million in settlement funds against other major pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors.
During a press conference, Mayor Scott displayed his plan to quickly strengthen the health department's work to fight the overdose epidemic through a $20 million allocation.
Officials say $42 million has already been allocated to certain care providers and organizations working to battle substance use disorder and the impact it has on neighborhoods.
“Every community has been inflicted with the pain of the opioid overdose epidemic, but here in Baltimore, we have been disproportionately impacted – particularly due to the actions of reckless bad actors in big pharma,” said Scott. “We made the decision to see our litigation against these companies through until the very end, foregoing the global settlements that were offered along the way, because we knew how impacted our community has been and how important it was to see adequate financial accountability from these companies. But it isn’t enough to win the funds – we need to put them to work. This Executive Order will ensure that restitution funds are governed responsibly, transparently, and effectively in order to support our residents and communities most affected by the epidemic — not just during this administration, but for years to come.”
While the city plans to establish a Restitution Advisory Board to guide the use of the funds, they will also seek community input through in-person and virtual town hall-style meetings, focus groups, and an online survey where people can submit ideas and feedback.
“With this Executive Order, Baltimore will establish a clear governance structure for the use of restitution funds that centers community involvement, transparency, and accountability,” said Sara Whaley. “This order is based on best practices from around the country and lays a foundation to ensure funds will have the greatest impact by protecting the dollars and ensuring their longevity, thinking holistically about the role of restitution funds as part of a broad overdose response, and rooting decision-making in the expertise of a diverse set of voices.”
City leaders say the board will consist of no less than 13 members and no more than 17 members.
The board will include community members, including those with lived experience with substance use, professional practitioners, elected leaders, and senior administration officials or Mayoral appointees to guide the use of the City’s restitution.
They say they are hoping to begin recruitment soon and hope to fill out positions by the end of the year.
