Lincoln – The League of Nebraska Municipalities, the Nebraska Association of County Officials, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Division of Behavioral Health, and Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson today announce the next step in Nebraska’s fight against the national opioid epidemic and other co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders with the formation of the Nebraska Opioid Settlement Remediation Advisory Committee. The creation of the Committee is a requirement of the national opioid-related settlement agreements entered into by Attorney General Peterson. According to state law in effect since 2020, the Opioid Prevention and Treatment Act, these settlement agreements determine the use of settlement monies received into the State’s Opioid Recovery Fund.  The primary work of the Committee will be to create criteria and recommendations for the distribution of settlement funds to ameliorate opioid use disorder and other co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. The value of current settlements over 18 years exceeds $100 million. 

 

The Committee which is equally comprised of state and local representatives from across Nebraska will hold its inaugural meeting on April 4th at 10 a.m. at the offices of the Nebraska Association of County Officials at 1335 H Street in Lincoln and will also be accessible by virtual conferencing.  Public comment is encouraged at the meeting. 

 

More information on relevant settlement agreements and the Committee may presently be found on the Attorney General’s website. The Nebraska Opioid Settlement Remediation Advisory Committee meeting is posted on the public meeting calendar: https://www.nebraska.gov/calendar/index.cgi?mode=details&id=10703.