Mat-Su Borough to host public input for opioid settlement distribution

With recent headlines of multiple overdoses and an uptick in law enforcement arrests related to illegal drugs in the Mat-Su Borough, and 5 students in Anchorage having recently overdosed on fentanyl, the opioid crisis continues to be a scourge on the local community.

It has also touched hundreds, if not thousands of lives in Alaska and across the nation. In 2021 alone there were 160 deaths in Alaska from opioid overdose and across our nation there were 106,699 opioid overdose deaths that year.

The severe impact of the epidemic compelled many states to sue several distributors, manufacturers, and pharmacies involved in distributing prescription opioids. Out of those lawsuits, settlements have been reached in most lawsuits and now settlement funds are being distributed to States and Municipalities across America to help remediate the effects of the opioid epidemic. The funds must be spent to try and remedy and rectify the opioid crisis.

As a result of the settlement, the Mat-Su Borough anticipates receiving multi-year payments from litigants totaling approximately $2.3 Million over an 18 year period.

The public will have an opportunity to weigh in on how best to utilize the funds as the Matanuska-Susitna Borough has scheduled 3 public meetings to conduct an Opioid Settlement Funds Needs Assessment in the Mat-Su Borough.

“This is just a great opportunity for the people of the community to come out and make a difference,” says Mat Su Opioid Task Force Chair Michael Carson.

In addition to the 3 public-participation meetings, there will be a public survey and a committee of experts participating in the public meetings to help prioritize the Borough’s needs. Those results will be presented to the Borough Assembly for consideration/approval for how to spend the funds.

Carson says that while he has no specific priority for the funds, he does hope at least some will go towards prevention.

“We really need to educate our youth, because if we’re not careful, our kids will be at risk.”

Public meetings are scheduled at the following locations: April 26, 2023 - 6-8pm, Palmer Assembly Chambers; May 18, 2023 - 6-8pm, Willow Community Center, Mile 69, Parks Highway; May 25, 2023 - 6-8pm, Curtis Menard Sports Center.

Once the needs assessment is complete, the Borough will present the Assembly-approved list of needs and seek applications from qualifying Mat-Su organizations for potential grants. The Borough will receive and vet the applications and disperse the grants.

“It will be interesting to see how it shakes out. This is a great chance for the public to weigh-in and for the community to buy in that we can get ahead of this systemic issue.”