Opioid Settlement Funding

Since July 2021, the State of Oregon, counties and cities have reached agreement on national lawsuits against several companies for their role in the opioid crisis. Through these agreements, over $24 million will be awarded to Clackamas County over the course of 18 years.

Project outcomes as of August 2024

chart demonstrating distribution of oregon's settlement funds (the state received 55%, counties received 45%) and how Clackamas County's $24M was distributed to cities

Investments to address the opioid crisis will require continued collaboration across systems with a focus on efforts highlighted in the National Settlement Agreement.

Clackamas County's Opioid Settlement Framework will be led by the following guiding principles to ensure that the dollars will be used most effectively:

  • Using evidence to guide investments
  • Lifting up health equity
  • Supporting collaboration
  • Transparency and accountability

As of February 2024, funds have been received from:

  • Distributor Settlement payments
    (settlements between the State of Oregon and participating subdivisions and McKesson, Cardinal and AmerisourceBergen)
  • Janssen Settlement payments
    (settlement between the State of Oregon and participating subdivisions and Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Incorporated, and Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Incorporated)
  • Mallinckrodt Settlement payments
    (settlement between the State of Oregon and participating subdivisions and Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals)
  • Teva & Allergan Settlement payments
    (settlement between the State of Oregon and participating subdivisions and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd. And Allergan Pharmaceuticals)
  • CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart Settlement payments
    (settlements between the State of Oregon and participating subdivisions and CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart pharmacies)
  • Publicis Worldwide 
    (not subject to 55/45% split with subdivisions)
  • Additional restitution funds from Oregon Department of Justice
    (not subject to 55/45% split with subdivisions)
  • Additional payments are pending from settlements with Endo Health Solutions, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Kroger, and Purdue Pharma.    

These settlements will provide substantial funding to Oregon and local communities, including Clackamas County, to mitigate harms associated with the opioid and other drug crisis. This funding provides an opportunity to make strategic investments in evidence-based strategies that will strengthen our communities, prevent opioid use and stem the rising number of overdose deaths.

How the Funds are Being Spent

Total opioid settlement funding committed for 2023-2026

chart showing how the $3.46M funding was distributed

The Clackamas County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) awarded $1,000,000 in opioid settlement funding through a community grants process in 2024 that supports the priorities of the BCC to address urgent needs related to substance use across the community and alignment with a recovery-oriented system of care (ROSC). A ROSC is a coordinated network of community-based services and supports that is person-centered and builds on the strengths and resilience of individuals, families and communities to achieve abstinence and improved health, wellness, and quality of life for those with or at risk of alcohol and drug problems

Additional funds have been allocated to County programs and services that address substance use prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery programs that support individuals with a substance use disorder (SUD) and/or are involved with the justice system. 

Learn more about the projects supported by opioid settlement funding below.

136601

Total: $1.2 million

136601

Total: $530,000

136601

Total: $700,000

136601

Total: $1,030,000

136601

Current Gaps

  • Overnight shelters, supportive and long-term housing and access to low-income
    permanent housing that embraces an overdose prevention model
  • Childcare and transportation, particularly in rural communities

Priority Strategies

  • Invest in additional housing supports that integrate MOUD and other supportive services
  • Provide additional resources and assistance to help with basic needs (childcare; transportation)
136641

Current Gaps

  • Early childhood skills-building and education specific to fentanyl and overdose prevention.
  • School-based interventions, including mentorship programs, comprehensive drug education, school
    resource officers, drug/alcohol counselors and community parenting classes
  • Limited rural resources, lack of mental health interventions and few service providers accepting Oregon Health Plan coverage

Priority Strategies

  • Expand school-based interventions to prevent opioid use
  • Remove barriers to access for youth mental health services
  • Provide additional evidence-based prevention programming (parental skills, child life skills, family communication, case management)
136641

Current Gaps

  • Mobile overdose prevention services currently unable serve the entire county with a focus on culturally-specific and rural communities

Priority Strategies

  • Provide additional community overdose prevention trainings and messaging to decrease stigma related to naloxone and MOUD.
  • Expand mobile unit resources that offer or provide referrals to overdose prevention services available in all communities throughout the county
136641

Current Gaps

  • Limited availability among existing services, including medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD)
  • Trauma-informed transitions from the hospital, emergency departments and urgent care settings.
  • Education for health care providers on trauma informed care and reducing stigma
  • Adequate and sustainable funding

Priority Strategies

  • Increase access to emergency department interventions that include MOUD, peer support, discharge planning, and recovery case management or supportive services.
  • Expansion of warm hand-off programs (Project Hope, Behavioral Health and First Responder co-response)
136641

Current Gaps

  • Limited availability of community triage and stabilization centers that include peer support, detox, and referrals to services
  • Methadone providers and same-day access to medications
  • MOUD services for youth, rural communities, and sustainable programming in jails
  • Services with immediate access to treatment, including high barriers for:
    • Youth
    • People with co-occurring SUD and mental illness
    • People not criminal justice-involved
    • Fathers with children
    • People insured through OHP

Priority Strategies

  • Increase inpatient/residential treatments and MOUD community resources in community (health systems, mobile units, justice settings)
  • Provide additional access to evidence-based withdrawal management services
136641

Community Engagement

Community perspectives from nearly 60 local organizations serving Clackamas County were gathered to identify current service gaps and prioritize approved abatement strategies to inform settlement allocation decisions. Common themes of existing gaps in accessing services include workforce and transportation challenges, as well as a lack of culturally responsive services. Participants also identified the following:

136641

Total: $1.2 million

136601

Total: $530,000

136601

Total: $700,000

136601

Total: $1,030,000

136601

Current Gaps

  • Overnight shelters, supportive and long-term housing and access to low-income
    permanent housing that embraces an overdose prevention model
  • Childcare and transportation, particularly in rural communities

Priority Strategies

  • Invest in additional housing supports that integrate MOUD and other supportive services
  • Provide additional resources and assistance to help with basic needs (childcare; transportation)
136641

Current Gaps

  • Early childhood skills-building and education specific to fentanyl and overdose prevention.
  • School-based interventions, including mentorship programs, comprehensive drug education, school
    resource officers, drug/alcohol counselors and community parenting classes
  • Limited rural resources, lack of mental health interventions and few service providers accepting Oregon Health Plan coverage

Priority Strategies

  • Expand school-based interventions to prevent opioid use
  • Remove barriers to access for youth mental health services
  • Provide additional evidence-based prevention programming (parental skills, child life skills, family communication, case management)
136641

Current Gaps

  • Mobile overdose prevention services currently unable serve the entire county with a focus on culturally-specific and rural communities

Priority Strategies

  • Provide additional community overdose prevention trainings and messaging to decrease stigma related to naloxone and MOUD.
  • Expand mobile unit resources that offer or provide referrals to overdose prevention services available in all communities throughout the county
136641

Current Gaps

  • Limited availability among existing services, including medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD)
  • Trauma-informed transitions from the hospital, emergency departments and urgent care settings.
  • Education for health care providers on trauma informed care and reducing stigma
  • Adequate and sustainable funding

Priority Strategies

  • Increase access to emergency department interventions that include MOUD, peer support, discharge planning, and recovery case management or supportive services.
  • Expansion of warm hand-off programs (Project Hope, Behavioral Health and First Responder co-response)
136641

Current Gaps

  • Limited availability of community triage and stabilization centers that include peer support, detox, and referrals to services
  • Methadone providers and same-day access to medications
  • MOUD services for youth, rural communities, and sustainable programming in jails
  • Services with immediate access to treatment, including high barriers for:
    • Youth
    • People with co-occurring SUD and mental illness
    • People not criminal justice-involved
    • Fathers with children
    • People insured through OHP

Priority Strategies

  • Increase inpatient/residential treatments and MOUD community resources in community (health systems, mobile units, justice settings)
  • Provide additional access to evidence-based withdrawal management services
136641

Phone:503-742-5300
Fax:503-742-5352
Email:publichealthdivision@clackamas.us

2051 Kaen Road, Suite 367, Oregon City, OR 97045

Office Hours:

Monday to Thursday
7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Report a public health emergency or communicable disease 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 503-655-8411.

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