Duxbury receives first funds from opioid settlement, invites public comment
December 2, 2022 – Duxbury’s Opioid Working Group is seeking input from community members with expertise in or experience with the opioid misuse epidemic as the group prepares recommendations to the town manager for spending state funds allocated to the town.
Duxbury, along with most other Massachusetts communities, has begun to receive funds from the Attorney General’s opioid abatement settlement with Johnson & Johnson and three pharmaceutical distributors. Duxbury’s payments are estimated to total just under $800,000 through 2038. Town Manager Rene Read convened the working group in late summer to develop recommendations on how best to use the funds in designated, evidence-based interventions including treatment, recovery, prevention, harm reduction and connections to care. The group is charged with reporting to Town Management for the purpose of appropriating settlement funds to achieve their purpose, including how to expend these monies within state guidelines; leverage existing programs or pool funds with other towns; develop a long-term spending plan; draft articles for Town Meeting; oversee the spending of these funds; and prepare required reports and documentation. Members of that group include representatives of Duxbury Public Schools, fire and police, Duxbury Student Union, the town nurse, Duxbury FACTS and a recovery specialist.
Residents who have interest or expertise in the opioid crisis or who have first-hand experience that can help the working group identify barriers to prevention, treatment and recovery and determine priorities for using the funds can send an email to info.opioidworkinggroup@Duxbury-ma.gov. A member of the working group will also be available monthly via Zoom to receive input. Zoom drop-in opportunities for resident input will take place every third Monday of the month beginning December 19 at 12:00 noon. To access the Zoom link and for more information about the working group and how to contact them, please go to the Board of Health page at https://www.town.duxbury.ma.us/board-health/pages/duxbury-opioid-abatement-funds-working-group.