Oklahoma and the U.S. have been negatively impacted by Opioid misuse. Opioid Overdose was responsible for over 100,000 deaths nationwide in 2020 and again in 2021. Although the #1 cause of overdose deaths in Oklahoma is Methamphetamine, Opioids have been closing the gap, unfortunately. Opioid Use Disorder is one of the few substance use disorders that people are still susceptible to developing well into adult life. Many people with Opioid Use Disorder have experienced these problems because of prescribed medications and never have used an illicit drug in their life. Lots of people are introduced to these medications after being injured or recovering from surgery.
How did we get here? It is believed that some newly developed (1990’s) prescription medications for pain management were improperly marketed as not habit forming and safer than pain management medications that have been around for generations. However, in a short time it was discovered that this class of Opioid did, in fact, lead to Substance Use Disorder in some users.
What was the response? The U.S. Attorney General asked states to join litigation against the manufacturers and distributors of these medications. Oklahoma chose to pursue the companies on their own. Both the US and Oklahoma have been able to get settlement offers from the distributors and it’s looking like a positive outcome from the manufacturers as well.
What is the opportunity? Many of our local counties and some cities will be entertaining settlement offers from the distributors and hopefully the manufacturers. The settlement agreements require that most of the funds be used for Opioid Remediation. When the nationwide settlements began, Johns Hopkins University’s School of Public Health created principles for spending the funds and suggested 9 abatement strategies for local governments to follow.
Principles to guide the decision-making process: #1, Spend money to save lives; #2, Use evidence to guide spending; #3, Invest in youth prevention; #4, Focus on racial equity; #5, Develop a fair and transparent process for deciding where to spend the funding.
The 9 suggested Opioid Abatement Strategies include the following: Broaden access to Naloxone (Narcan) a life-saving Opioid Overdose reversal medication. Increase use of medications to treat Opioid Use Disorder. Provide treatment and recovery support during pregnancy and postpartum period. Expanding services for Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome. Funding warm hand-off programs and recovery services. Improve treatment in jails and prisons. Enrich prevention strategies. Expand harm reduction programs. Support data collection and research.
What can the average person do to help? Encourage local officials to consider the guidelines and suggested strategies listed here. Ask them to avoid duplicating services or resources that are already in place and to focus on closing any gaps. Join a local effort to create a strategic plan for Opioid Remediation. Learn more about what local resources are available in your area, and if those are accessible and of high quality.
Encourage people with lived experience with Opioid or Substance Use Disorder to share what they know about the local resources and services. Their voices are very valuable to this effort because they have a unique perspective on the problem. Someone else may not appreciate how challenging the recovery process can be.
If you want to learn more about the Opioid Settlements, local efforts, or to offer your opinion for local leaders, please contact Steve Berry, ICADC, Assistant Director of the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Support Division at South Western OK Development Authority. Email Steve at [email protected] or call him at (580) 562-5043. South Western OK Development Authority created the Western OK Opioid Prevention Consortium as part of an Opioid Treatment Expansion Grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration’s Rural Communities Opioid Response Program. Additionally, SWODA receives funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Comprehensive Opioid Stimulant and Substance Use Program. A third source of funding is from SAMHSA, the CSAT, and the OK Department of Mental Health and Substance Use Prevention Services.
