FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 

Two years after the historic $26 billion national settlement with Johnson & Johnson and distributors, key experts participated in a virtual press conference on opioid settlement funds, tackling topics such as: how funds have been distributed thus far, how settlement funds are improving communities, what the future of opioid settlement fund allocation and distribution will look like, as well as answered questions from national and local media.

Experts and thought leaders from addiction organizations and nonprofits as well as local providers provided insight on the following questions, including:

• What have been the best practices and evidence-based results on opioid settlement distribution?

• How have settlement funds helped communities so far in terms of prevention, treatment and recovery?

• How should communities plan with long-term intention of opioid settlement fund distribution?

Participants included:

• Daniel Lettenberger-Klein, CEO, Stella Maris. Stella Maris is a provider of addiction treatment services based in Cleveland, Ohio.

• Jeff Horwitz, CEO, SAFE Project. SAFE Project is a national organization with several programs dedicated to addressing substance use disorder, including SAFE Communities, SAFE Campuses, SAFE Workplaces and SAFE Veterans.

• Kristen Pendergrass, Vice President (State Policy), Shatterproof. Shatterproof is a national organization dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis in the United States by transforming addiction treatment, ending addiction stigma, and educating and empowering communities.

• Patty McCarthy, CEO, Faces & Voices of Recovery. Faces & Voices of Recovery is a national organization that promotes the right of every individual and family to recover from a substance use disorder, while demonstrating the value and impact of long-term recovery.

The session was moderated by Jayne Conroy and Paul T. Farrell, two of the plaintiffs’ co-lead counsel in the National Prescription Opiate litigation, pending in the Northern District of Ohio. View the recording.

To learn more about the litigation and settlements, visit the National Opioids Settlement Website.

###

Media contact:
Lauren Lawson-Zilai
Senior Director, Media and Public Relations
Shatterproof
press@shatterproof.org