Las Cruces Sun-News: Doña Ana County approves 2-year strategy to spend opioid settlement funds
An opioid-overdose reversal drug is seen in this stock image.
LAS CRUCES — The Doña Ana County Board of County Commissioners approved allocating $4.3 million over the next two years from settlement funds received as a result of pharmaceutical companies accused of flooding the area with opioids.
The resolution passed during the Aug. 26 board of commissioners meeting and will govern the expenditure of opioid settlement funds and how they are utilized throughout the community.
The City of Las Cruces expects to receive about $9.8 million and Doña Ana County expects to receive about $14.4 million through 2038. The City passed a similar resolution on Aug. 18 to allocate $2.9 million over the next two years towards activities and programs.
The two local governments have been working jointly to identify how to spend the funding, which has already started to be distributed. To date, the county has received approximately $5.6 million and the City has received approximately $3.8 million.