Opioid Settlement Funds: An Opportunity for States to Prioritize Children
摘要
This chapter explores how the national opioid settlement funds represent an unprecedented opportunity for the United States to prioritize children as it attempts to repair the damage caused by opioids to families and communities across the nation. As a result of hundreds of lawsuits brought on behalf of more than 3000 local and state entities, numerous companies involved in the manufacture, sale, distribution, or marketing of opioids are expected to pay out approximately $50 billion over the next two decades. Advisory committees have been established in most states to guide the allocation of these funds. While most committees include representation from adults with substance use disorders, they often fail to include families who have lost children to opioid poisonings. This oversight reflects a broader societal trend in prioritizing adult needs over child safety. Drawing on research showing that pediatric opioid poisonings continue unabated even as adult overdose rates may be stabilizing, I propose age-specific and evidence-based interventions that will ensure that funds are allocated to address the needs of children.