Middlesex County launches advisory council focused on using state funds to fight opioid epidemic

Last week, the Middlesex County Opioid Settlement Advisory Council held its first meeting, according to a press release.

The council, which was formed by the Board of Middlesex County Commissioners, is tasked with providing recommendations on how to distribute the county's portion of a $641 million class action settlement between New Jersey, opioid manufacturer Janssen and three of the country's largest opioid distributors: McKesson, Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen.

The council plans to direct the funds toward preventing opioid use and overdoses and supporting treatment for substance use disorders.

Ronald Rios, the director of the Board of Middlesex County Commissioners, said this funding would be used to fight issues stemming from the opioid epidemic.

"The Middlesex County Opioid Settlement Advisory Council will provide critical recommendations to ensure we allocate these funds in the most effective manner," he said in the release. 

The advisory board consists of experts in various areas, such as behavioral health and substance use, with many hailing from institutions like Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health, Rutgers Behavioral Healthcare, Hackensack Meridian Health and the Middlesex County Prosecutor's office.