Opioid Settlement Money Comes To Barbour County

In a significant step forward in the ongoing battle against the opioid epidemic, the City of Philippi and Barbour County Commission have received substantial funds from the opioid settlement. The City of Philippi received a sum of $62,512.95, while the Barbour County Commission secured $265,392.40 in the first round of funding dispersion. Hunter Mullins from Mullins & Mullins Law Office, the legal representative for both the City and County in the settlement, personally delivered the checks to city and county officials today.

The distribution of these funds is part of the statewide effort to address the devastating impact of opioids on communities. The State Attorney General, Patrick Morrisey, and the Auditor's Office are working collaboratively to ensure that the allocated funds are used for their intended purposes, as outlined in the West Virginia First Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

You can read the letter sent out to all the cities and counties here.

The MOU serves as the foundational plan to address the opioid crisis, outlining the allocation method for any settlement funds or judgments resulting from lawsuits against opioid manufacturers, distributors, and other parties in the pharmaceutical supply chain. The recently established West Virginia First Foundation will receive 72.5% of all settlement and judgment dollars, with an additional 24.5% directed to local governments.

To ensure compliance with the MOU and provide additional resources for local governments, 3% of the settlement funds will be held in escrow by the state. Local governments will have broad discretion to decide on approved uses that are best suited to combat the opioid epidemic within their communities.