Local officials attend opioid settlement meeting

Tuesday, March 26, 2024–7:00 p.m.

-David Crowder, WRGA News-

Rome Mayor Craig McDaniel and Floyd County Commission Chair Allison Watters recently attended a meeting in Dawsonville regarding the opioid settlement.

In January 2022, Georgia opted into opioid litigation brought by states and local subdivisions against the three largest pharmaceutical distributors – McKesson, Cardinal Health, and AmerisourceBergen – and manufacturer Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and its parent company Johnson & Johnson.

Georgia will receive a combined $636 million from these settlements.

On May 18, 2023, Governor Brian Kemp established the Georgia Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee that will provide recommendations regarding the allocation of funds received by the State.

“These are the funds that the city did not get individually,” said Rome City Attorney Andy Davis. “These are funds that went to the state and are being distributed by the state, who set up these different areas and regions to distribute those funds. So, this is in addition to what the city gets individually.”

According to McDaniel, all of the members of that advisory committee have now been appointed.

Living Proof Recovery Executive Director Brittney Galvanauskas was selected as the peer voice for Region 1.