Medford Launches Survey On How To Invest Opioid Settlement Funds

MEDFORD, MA —The City of Medford's Office of Prevention and Outreach has launched a community survey to help determine strategies and goals for investing funds awarded from the Opioid Settlement Fund, Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn announced Wednesday.

Medford will receive over an estimated $830,000 over 18 years, with the potential for more funding to come, from a settlement of a July 2021 statewide class action lawsuit filed by Attorney General Maura Healy against opioid distributors and manufacturers to mitigate the effects of addiction by focusing on prevention, intervention, and supporting those in recovery.

The city will use funds to supplement and strengthen resources available to community members.

“The opioid epidemic has far-reaching implications on the health and wellbeing of many in our community and the surrounding region,” Mayor Lungo-Koehn said in a statement. “With the funds we’ve received from the Attorney General’s lawsuit and through the data we collect from our community survey, we’ll be able to best address the needs and challenges of those dealing with addiction.”

“Community involvement in planning for large amounts of funding like this is essential for helping community members most affected by the opioid crisis,” added Outreach and Prevention Manager Penny Funaiole “With community input, we will be able to see which substance use mitigation resources and tools are most needed and how we can expand accessibility to them.”

Results from the survey, along with findings from interviews with people affected by substance use, will be presented to the Promote, Prevent, Support Behavioral Health Commission. From there, recommendations will be submitted to the mayor and eventually presented to the City Council.

The survey closes on August 18 and can be found here. Anyone with questions may contact Alysia LaGambina at 781-475-5646 or alagambina@medford-ma.gov.