For the last three years, Alabama has been receiving funds from federal settlements with major pharmaceutical companies, totaling over $300 million so far. I think this amount will keep increasing as time goes on. These funds are part of the state’s Opioid Settlement Fund, which has been designated by Congress.

In 2022, Congress set up an Oversight Committee for the Alabama Opioid Settlement Fund to guide the distribution of these resources. Led by Senator Greg Albritton and myself, we conducted four hearings during the 2023 and 2024 regular sessions. We collected input from 44 organizations focused on prevention, treatment, and recovery from opioid addiction in Alabama.

This led to a comprehensive statewide plan that details how the settlement funds can be used by organizations that receive them through supplemental budgets from the Alabama Legislature and the Opioid Settlement Grant Program.

Through the Opioid Settlement Fund’s grants for prevention, treatment, and recovery, providers reported the following outcomes:

• 6,898 individuals were served
• 4,094 treatment services were provided
• 1,252 Narcan kits were distributed
• 1,000 fentanyl test strips were handed out
• 13 pounds of medication were collected
• 83 coaching events took place

Last year, we implemented another budget from the Settlement Fund that had a significant impact across the state. It supported various initiatives, including Alabama’s 988 Crisis Line, a Veterans Pilot Program, Mental Health Court, and numerous prevention and recovery efforts.

This year’s Opioid Supplementary Budget bill plans to allocate $41 million from the Opioid Settlement Fund for similar purposes. We also aim to address some of the existing coverage gaps by expanding our funded programs and services.

Education is a major focus, as it’s one of Alabama’s strongest resources.

We’re allocating $3 million to the University of Alabama, University of Birmingham (UAB), Auburn University, and the University of South Alabama (US Health).

• UAB will get $1 million for a psychiatric residency in Montgomery and Huntsville focusing on substance abuse research and treatment.
• Auburn University will receive $1 million for a pharmacy education program and a K-12 initiative centered on substance abuse training.
• USA Health will get $1 million to help respond quickly to opioid overdose outbreaks.

Marketing is another crucial aspect of this year’s budget.

While Alabama has plenty of free resources for opioid prevention and recovery, it’s important for people to know they exist. Otherwise, how can those struggling with substance abuse access the help they need?

Through a collaboration between the Alabama Legislature and the Department of Mental Health, the state recently launched campaigns to promote awareness about treatment and prevention resources. If you’ve seen the black and orange billboards lining I-65 and other busy areas, that’s part of this effort.

We are also significantly investing in law enforcement. Given the unfortunate reality that officers frequently encounter people dealing with substance abuse, it’s necessary to equip them with more resources.

According to the 2020 FBI Unified Crime Report, substance abuse violations are among the most common arrest categories. These violations encompass possession and trafficking, and many individuals arrested for drug-related crimes are genuinely struggling with addiction.

Given this ongoing issue, it’s essential—actually, long overdue—to provide Alabama law enforcement with additional tools to tackle substance abuse effectively.

Another key component of this year’s budget is our support for veterans.

Last year, we created a Veterans Mental Health Management Committee consisting of elected officials and representatives from veteran services that focuses on mental health and substance abuse challenges among veterans. This committee’s task is to evaluate how the state currently supports veterans and identify additional resources needed. Additionally, they were empowered to initiate a pilot project aligned with the comprehensive plan they develop.

This initiative started with a budget of $3 million from the Opioid Settlement Fund, and we’re planning to invest another $1.5 million to bolster existing programs and introduce new resources for Alabama veterans.

Ultimately, Congress strives to maximize the positive impact of these funds. One outcome that really stands out to me is Alabama’s decrease in overdose deaths, largely thanks to the distribution of Narcan and improved access to services.

Our combined efforts and partnerships put Alabama in a stronger position to address the epidemic that has taken countless lives, aiming to ensure that fewer people endure the same unfortunate fate.