$19.7M Allocated To Chester County For Opioid Settlement

WEST CHESTER, PA –The Chester County Department of Drug and Alcohol Services seeks input from the community on how to spend $19.7 million allocated to the county in opioid settlement.

In 2022, 103 people in Chester County died of accidental overdoses. In 2021, 5,168 Pennsylvanians died from overdoses.

Opioids come in different forms with different names including fentanyl, OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, codeine, hydrocodone, morphine, and heroin.

The $19.7 million in opioid settlement funds for Chester County are part of the $1 billion-plus allocated to Pennsylvania over 18 years from a 2021 settlement of lawsuits.

The settlement held opioid manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacy chains accountable for alleged wrongdoing related to the marketing, sale, and distribution of opioids.

“The opioid epidemic is Pennsylvania’s number one public health and safety challenge, with an average of 14 Pennsylvanians dying each day from overdose,” Jamie Johnson, director of department of drug and alcohol services.

The Chester County Department of Drug & Alcohol Services has partnered with Capacity for Change, LLC West Chester, to conduct the brief, confidential, and anonymous survey, which is open through Nov. 30.

Take the survey here.