LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg has announced how Louisville officials plan to spend some of the more than $57 million in funds Jefferson County will receive as part of an opioid settlement fund.

The settlement funds come from companies that "distributed, dispensed, manufactured and sold opioid painkillers and failed to monitor or report suspicious shipments, which led to substance abuse disorders and permanent harm," according to a news release. 

On Thursday, the mayor explained how the first $7 million installment payment will be spent. He said the first $1.5 million payment would be allocated to various organizations that focus on "harm reduction" and "provide outreach, education, overdose prevention, Narcan distribution, screening for HIV and hepatitis C and linkage to medical, mental health and social resources with an goal of expanding outreach and services to underserved populations."

The following is a list of those organizations and how they plan to use their portion of the funds:

  • The Kentucky Harm Reduction Coalition: The coalition plans to expand its outreach to the Latino community, as well as west Louisville residents.
  • University of Kentucky:  Target 4 Region 5, an organization that provides free HIV and hepatitis C testing, will establish a fixed location to expand outreach in Louisville. 
  • Feed Louisville:  An organization that provides food and nutrition to Louisville's homeless population will expand efforts to promote harm reduction.
  • The Louisville Metro Department of Health and Wellness will expand the community's supply of Narcan, as well as education on overdose prevention in the zip codes most affected by the opioid epidemic. 

More than $250,000 will be invested in "collaborative projects supporting transformative change throughout the community and address underlying root causes of substance abuse disorder," according to the news release. Mayor Greenberg's office said the city would contract with a third party which would "evaluate the effectiveness of the distribution strategies, hire an employee to serve as a project manager for a community advisory board and provide technical assistance to funded organizations."

Greenberg's office said a public application process would be launched in the fall to determine how the remaining $5.3 million in funds would be used. Those funds would be allocated to applicants who submit proposals that align with approved uses of the settlement funds. More information will be provided in September.

Kentucky Harm Reduction Coalition Executive Director Shreeta Waldon said she is glad the funding is coming through but noted she wishes it had happened sooner. 

She said she believes it is important that the community gets involved to be apart of the solution to the opioid crisis. 

"I throw on my gym shoes and my jeans and I go out there with my team. I'm not sitting behind a comfy desk," she said. "We are in a crisis. We don't get to celebrate until we can lower the numbers for everyone."

Ryan Jacobs with the University of Kentucky: Target 4 Region 5 took a moment during Thursday's press conference to share his experiences with addiction services in Louisville. 

"After I graduated high school I began experimenting with drugs. For me, that was my escape and that was my answer to my shy and unexciting life. They opened up a world of social connection, relationships and a new culture where I felt I fit in. Unfortunately, I fell into a trap that too many do fall into as well," he said. "After a while, I went from socially using to self-medicating."

Jacobs explained he lost jobs, housing and was eventually diagnosed with HIV.

Without local addiction services, Jacobs said he likely wouldn't be alive today. 

"I utilized the harm reduction services at the Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness Department. I cannot begin to tell you how much strength it took for me to build up to walk into those doors, but looking back on it now, I can tell you that's what saved my life," Jacobs said. 

Jefferson County is expected to receive a total of $57 million over 18 years.

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