BINGHAMTON, NY – (WIVT/WBGH) Several local health organizations are receiving funding from the massive opioid settlement against large pharmaceutical companies.

The Broome County Health Department announced the first round of grant recipients for Opioid Settlement Funding. The fund was created from lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies that contributed to the overdose epidemic.

Broome County was one of the first counties to sign on to the New York Attorney General’s lawsuit. County Executive Jason Garnar says that Broome will be awarded at least $8 million over the next several years.

“To be very clear, we will use every single penny of these settlement funds to address this crisis in our community. It will help us prevent more families from experiencing the heartbreak that too many families right here in Broome County have endured,” said Garner.

The local agencies that are receiving the first round of funding are The Addiction Center of Broome County, The Hope Foundation of Binghamton, Mothers and Babies Perinatal Network, Lourdes Hospital, Rural Health Network of South Central New York, Truth Pharm, and UHS.

Organizations can apply for the second round of the settlement funds. Grant applications can be found at gobroomecounty.com/hd.

The deadline for submissions is October 1.