Evesham council approved formation of a task force at its September meeting to fight the opioid epidemic and combat stigmas associated with its use.
The state’s Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund is helping to address the crisis with opioid settlement money allocated locally. Evesham council officially established a process for the use of those funds to start the task force.
“The township is part of the opioid settlement funds going on from the litigation against pharmaceutical companies who were involved in distributing opioid-based products and the negative impact it had on our country,” Township Manager Walt Miller said at the council session.
“Part of that funding is directed toward municipalities, state governments and county governments,” he added. “That allows for positive impacts in the community for the use of this money. So this task force will be community-based to come up with programs and strategies that we can implement locally … “
New Jersey and its municipalities will be paid more than $1.1 billion through 2038 from settlements with opioid manufacturers, distributors and retailers. The state may also secure additional recoveries through ongoing litigation.
New Jersey will receive half of the funds; the other half will be allocated directly to 262 local towns. Those include municipalities in all of the state’s 21 counties with populations above 10,000. The vast majority of the funds is intended for programs focused on treatment, prevention and other strategies.
The township also established a volunteer committee associated with the task force to develop programs and strategies that address the misuse and abuse of opioid products and its effects, including on those injured as a result.
To initiate a new strategy or program, the task force must vote accordingly with a majority of the quorum, then submit an application to the state for the opioid funding. Its work will be limited to only two programs in the pre-implementation/research phase and no more than four programs in the post-approval phase, so it will not have to support more than six programs at a time.
The task force will be comprised of 10 to 15 members who will be appointed by council to serve three-year terms, except for initial appointments, which will be staggered. Officers – president, vice president, secretary and treasurer – will also be appointed by council.
A quorum of task force members is required for any action, and a quorum will be comprised of 50% of membership, plus one. Every member of the group will have one vote. The task force must hold at least eight meetings a year, at least one each quarter. Additional sessions will be held as needed, by a majority vote of the quorum.
“I just want to thank you Walt for your detailed research into how to make sure we have a good task force,” Mayor Jaclyn Veasy told Miller. “It aligns with everything we do. (The task force) is community-led, and also led by volunteers in our community who have a voice and have been impacted.”
Veasy said opportunities to volunteer for the task force will be posted in the near future. More information is available within the September council meeting agenda on the township website.
