Shoutout to Hassan, Katie, and Eva who represented Not One More at Bridging the Divide: an Atlantic County Roundtable hosted by allies. Hassan and Katie were given the spotlight to share N0M’s priorities and ask questions about opioid settlement funding and housing for folks in recovery in Atlantic County. We were able to connect with many local elected officials, grassroots organizations, and community members regardless of party affiliation who value coming together for the wellbeing of our neighbors. Thanks to everyone who was a part of making this happen!
We are currently focused on ensuring the investment of opioid settlement funding in ways that save lives. We have opioid settlement funding to invest in ending the overdose crisis because drug corporations were held accountable for lying about how addictive opioid painkillers were in order to profit at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives. These settlement funds are meant to be directed to end the overdose crisis but there’s very little oversight and accountability.
Atlantic County received $1,735,025.86 during the fiscal year 2024-2025 in Opioid Settlement funds intended to remediate the harms of the opioid overdose crisis through new treatment and recovery efforts. Atlantic County has been making good progress through funding case management and harm reduction and medication assistance treatment transportation and housing. Community members with lived experience find these to be positive examples of opioid settlement funds being used to end the overdose crisis.
We are deeply concerned however, that while 7 municipalities in the county also have received opioid settlement funding, some have been spending some of it, and some still have not spent any.
We are also concerned about the lack of housing vouchers for individuals with substance use disorder currently offered through the county-based CODI program, an agency that dispenses state level funds to low income persons with mental health and/ or substance use disorder. We are not sure if you’re aware of this, but wanted to bring it to your attention and again strategize about the question of:
Last but not least, thousands of Atlantic County residents are seeing their monthly healthcare costs and marketplace deductibles skyrocket since federal policy changes in H.R.1 have gone into effect, with many opting to forego coverage altogether because they can no longer afford it due to the vote to discontinue the Affordable Care Act Premium Tax Credit. Many of our neighbors and loved ones are also worried about how they will continue receiving the care they need when new Medicaid work requirements and more frequent eligibility checks take effect in January.
Check out video testimony from Katie and Hassan below: