MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ – In response to the nationwide opioid epidemic, the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners has formed the Middlesex County Opioid Settlement Advisory Council. The Advisory Council – which includes a cross-section of experts in behavioral health, substance use disorders, and community outreach – met for the first time on Tuesday, March 21, 2023. The Advisory Council will provide input and recommendations regarding the allocation of funds the County receives as part of nationwide settlements between opioid distributors and the State of New Jersey as a result of class action lawsuits.

 The lawsuits were brought by states and local political subdivisions against opioid manufacturer Janssen and the country’s three largest pharmaceutical opioid distributors: McKesson, Cardinal Health, and AmerisourceBergen. Middlesex County will receive a portion of New Jersey’s more than $641 million settlement amount to use in the fight against the opioid epidemic.

 “The opioid crisis has gripped our nation for decades, claiming nearly a million lives just since 1999 – including so many young people – and impacting millions of more lives. In Middlesex County, we have faced this epidemic head-on by offering a continuum of care that encompasses prevention, treatment, and recovery support. But there is more to do,” said Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners Director Ronald G. Rios. “The recent, nationwide settlements between opioid distributors and the State of New Jersey will provide additional funding to help us fight this crisis. The Middlesex County Opioid Settlement Advisory Council will provide critical recommendations to ensure we allocate these funds in the most effective manner. My colleagues and I on the Board thank Dr. Bonnie Nolan for agreeing to serve as the Advisory Council’s chair, and the members of the Advisory Council for sharing their experience and expertise.”

Composed of experts in the field of substance use disorders, behavioral health, and community outreach inclusive of those with lived experience, the Middlesex County Opioid Settlement Advisory Council includes representatives from the County’s healthcare partners at RWJBarnabas Health/Rutgers University Behavioral Healthcare and Hackensack Meridian Health and the Office of the County Prosecutor. 

Dr. Bonnie Nolan, director of Woodbridge Township Addiction Services, will serve as chair of the Middlesex County Opioid Settlement Advisory Council, while County Commissioner Claribel A. Azcona-Barber, chair of the County’s Community Services Committee, will serve as the Board’s liaison with the Advisory Council. 

“For too long, the companies that manufacture and distribute opioids have turned a blind eye to the damage these drugs can do to individuals and families,” said County Commissioner Claribel A. Azcona-Barber. “As chair of the County’s Community Services Committee, I work closely with the various departments and offices that are fighting the battle against the opioid epidemic – especially the Department of Community Services, whose work is recognized as best-in-class across the state. These settlements will allow us to do even more, and I look forward to working with the Middlesex County Opioid Settlement Advisory Council to determine how best to allocate the funding. I know that together we will find the most effective use for it.”

“No resident of Middlesex County is unaffected by the opioid epidemic. These drugs have destroyed lives and wreaked havoc on families, businesses, and institutions,” said Dr. Bonnie Nolan of Woodbridge Township Addiction Services and chair of the Advisory Council. “The Middlesex County Opioid Settlement Advisory Council is proud to be part of the solution, and we will strive to ensure that settlement funds are directed to the most effective, evidence-based programs designed to end the scourge of illicit opioids.”

ABOUT THE ADVISORY COUNCIL

The Middlesex County Opioid Settlement Advisory Council will provide input and recommendations for the direction of funds across approved targets, including:

• Preventing the problematic use of opioids
• Preventing overdose deaths and harms through harm reduction strategies
• Providing connections to care
• Supporting people in treatment and recovery
• Addressing the needs of justice involved persons
• Addressing the needs of pregnant or parenting people who use drugs and their families
• Training, cross-system collaborative efforts and/or research

For information about programs and services available for individuals and families dealing with substance use disorders, please visit middlesexcountynj.gov and type “Addiction Services” in the search bar.