Governor Kotek’s Proposal to Shift Opioid Funds to ‘Save Lives Oregon’ Denied by State Board

A state board has scotched an appeal by Oregon Governor Tina Kotek for the entire national opioid settlement funding over the next two years to go to Save Lives Oregon.

The state has already received $90 million from opioid settlements, with an additional $8 million expected by June.

The bulk of those funds has already been allocated, with $27 million earmarked for tribal governments. A further $41 million is for drug prevention, treatment, and recovery programs.

Tina Kotek wanted the millions of dollars channeled to Save Lives Oregon, which operates as a clearinghouse for supplies that reduce harm to drug users, such as Narcan, an overdose reversal medication.

The state board rejection means that Save Lives Oregon will receive $5.1 million and not the $21.6 million funding until 2027 had the governor’s appeal been sanctioned.

The organization provides training and distributes harm reduction resources to local organizations, like fentanyl test strips, clean syringes, and Narcan.

The decision was made on Wednesday when the 18-member Opioid Settlement Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Board met. The board was set up in 2022 to oversee state funds from legal settlements with national pharmaceutical companies.

Save Lives Oregon does not have a sustainable funding source and needs $21.8 million to maintain current levels of service.

Cutting Back on Other Drug-Related Programs Will Harm Oregonians

Several board members who approve of the work done by the organization believe that a cutback to other drug-related programs will be harmful to Oregonians.

Healthcare providers who addressed Wednesday’s meeting agreed with that stance and complimented the board on a ‘balanced approach’ to funding a range of health services for opioid users.

The governor wanted lawmakers to give Save Lives Oregon an additional $10 million and asked the board to prioritize funding for opioid reduction efforts.

Kotek has also asked lawmakers for $90 million for more housing for people suffering from substance use disorders. The governor also wanted more than $70 million for other addiction and criminal justice prevention programs.

Takeaway

Since Save Lives Oregon began in 2020, it has distributed more than 675,000 naloxone doses throughout Oregon and hundreds of harm reduction kits to community agencies and schools. The organization has also handled reports of more than 19,000 drug overdose reversals.