BROOME, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – Broome County has its first payout from the large settlement between the prescription opioid industry and the states.

The county health department is seeking ideas from local organizations about ways to spend the funds.

Broome has been promised $4 million over 18 years, with $1.6 million in the first year.
The health department is offering up to $150,000 per award for plans that address treatment, recovery, harm reduction, prevention and education.

Opioid Overdose Prevention Coordinator Marissa Knapp says Broome saw its highest number of opioid overdose deaths last year, 80 and has already experienced 7 so far this year.

Knapp says all of the settlement funds will go toward fighting the epidemic.

“County Executive Jason Garnar totally supports this work and values this work and where the money will go towards. We definitely don’t want to see buildings built or roads paved with this money. There is a list of approved uses.”

Information about the request for proposals, the requirements and the rubric used to judge the applications is at gobroomecounty.com/HD.

Knapp says the health department encourages a mental health component, a sustainability plan and a means of evaluating the program’s success.

She says they’re interested in both innovative ideas and tried-and-true scientifically based strategies.