Merced County approves opioid settlement funds, phase one

MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Money is being distributed across Merced County to combat the ongoing opioid epidemic affecting communities around the nation.

The board of supervisors approved the first phase of $840,000 in funds that drug makers paid out as part of a massive settlement.

"When we're talking about Fentanyl, a fatal amount is 2 milligrams, so 1 gram package is enough to kill 500 people," said Lt. Ray Framstad with the Merced Co. Sheriff's Office.

A sugar packet could contain enough drugs to kill hundreds of people.

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In 2022, Merced County had 32 opioid-related deaths. Last year, there were 40. Officials tell Action News this year, they've already had a number of overdose deaths, one as recent as last weekend.

"Because we are seeing our young people dying at alarming rates because of opioid overdoses, specifically Fentanyl, and we're seeing those in other drugs here in Merced County," said Merced Co. District Attorney Nicole Silveira.

The county behavioral health department, the district attorney's office, the sheriff's office, and other departments worked together to determine the resources they needed to reduce deaths, overdoses, arrests and emergency room visits.

$315,000 will be used to support the needs of people who enter the criminal justice system, including supplying them with the opioid reversal drug Narcan.

$10,000 will be spent to test to see if people have overdosed on "ISO," another deadly synthetic opioid starting to emerge in parts of the country.

"Funding will be used much more for things like advertisements, support from the district attorney's office to get the word out there and other programming," said Lt. Framstad.

That campaign is called "One Pill Will Kill." It launched last year but will now get a boost with $185,000 toward more media and billboards.

$180,000 will go to mail people information on how to dispose of opioids properly, plus $150,000 for school assemblies.

"We're trying to get to these kids early, put that message in their heads, and help them as they grow older-every day they get older, right? And so as they get older, hearing it from a young age, hopefully when they hit that crossroads in their lives, it helps them make the right decision," said Merced County Supervisor Scott Silveira.

"Sometimes we're the lifeline for a lot of these kids, and if we can use this funding to educate one kid and save one life, then we're doing our job," said Lt. Framstad.

The departments are required to come back to the board in the future to update them about the impact of this spending.

Settlement funds are expected to run out in 2038.

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