[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6189285,"mediaKeyId","5058097-0605be7a9c993e31b8dd811573756665","parentId",5058097,"title","Cowlitz County health leaders say $2.7 million from opioid settlements is in county bank; larger Purdue allocation to state awaits county share","audioSeconds",178,"startMs",62000,"endMs",240000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5058097-0605be7a9c993e31b8dd811573756665&start=62&end=240","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5058097-0605be7a9c993e31b8dd811573756665/thumbnail_62000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6189285/Cowlitz-County/Washington/Cowlitz-County-health-leaders-say-27-million-from-opioid-settlements-is-in-county-bank-larger-Purdue-allocation-to-state-awaits-county-share","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6189285-42b9f458de60cf997b2056dda4a2a4b2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153677&Signature=Gw1VxUGST-R6orMXAtZyyEX08B9tZEar2ri1dZPLhqgasNgTqMtI79YFsMuxPAg9gwyDHeSfaYuYMqCa0m9~4S8bcfVp-GPucYvUbzrm0S5H0E6NEZniO~bswdyzUtGvGsCoaQavcNPAi6cPZm1Te8BGBZTIZ80EBMv9~D5Oub8BGQYYyf~nlj4s9bolUrxoowwuxTjY0T8X25fPTls3zhKCQ6c~EMxIUyZFBWvn8oXWlMb5Zl8f0iqmYJrWYJx6OkUkFTzNdSO0TTJ7FqBhrY3J-IdFXRzsVWZFKY5dNLtl8A1HFWwU9S2uYdyHrUVQQdZ6lwexrkToadRf6kjD0Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cowlitz County Commissioners, Washington","date","2025-06-24T18:52:33Z","article","Cowlitz County Health & Human Services staff told the Cowlitz County Board of Health that $2.7 million in opioid-settlement funds is already in the county’s bank and that more payments will arrive in installments through 2038.

The money came from statewide settlements sued and coordinated by the Washington state Attorney General’s office, Carol (HHS staff) told the board. “That amount there, the 2.7, is what's in the bank,” she said when asked whether the funds were on hand. She said settlements arrive in varying increments — some annually, some multiple times per year — and that a recent Purdue Pharma settlement that will send about $105,000,000 to Washington had been finalized but that Cowlitz County’s share of that award was not yet available.

Why this matters: opioid-settlement dollars are restricted in how they may be used and represent a multi-year funding stream that local health officials expect to use for treatment and prevention programs.

Health officer Steve Krieger described the permissible uses the board may expect. “It can be used for treatment, like medically assisted treatment. It can be connecting folks into treatment and recovery,” Krieger said. He added the funds can support pregnant or parenting people with substance-use issues, prevention efforts aimed at overprescribing or misuse, and other strategies such as support for first responders.

Board members pressed for clarity on timing and legal guidance for specific requests. Carol said the county updates its online spreadsheet of projected receipts “probably every couple months when we receive additional funds,” and that some questions from the board remain under legal review; she did not provide a timetable for the legal office’s response.

No formal action was taken. Board discussion focused on clarifying how much cash was available now, how future settlement payments will arrive, and what program categories the funds may support.

Next steps: staff will continue to update the county’s public reporting of anticipated opioid-settlement receipts and follow up when the county’s allocation of the recent Purdue settlement is determined.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Tuesday Public Meeting: Board of Health - 06.24.2025","oneSentenceSummary","Cowlitz County Health & Human Services staff told the Cowlitz County Board of Health that $2.7 million in opioid-settlement funds is already in the county’s bank and that more payments will arrive in installments through 2038.","taxTitle","Cowlitz County, Washington","taxId",5122,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6189280,"Cowlitz County Board of Health adopts concise mission statement, calls for community health assessment review and schedules mental‑health workshop",2457,295000,2752000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5058097-0605be7a9c993e31b8dd811573756665&start=295&end=2752","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5058097-0605be7a9c993e31b8dd811573756665/thumbnail_295000.jpg","/articles/6189280/Cowlitz-County/Washington/Cowlitz-County-Board-of-Health-adopts-concise-mission-statement-calls-for-community-health-assessment-review-and-schedules-mentalhealth-workshop","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6189280-2a6c233a7b69ae33156d0d43fcf18c08/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153677&Signature=AkgaCrzkb--h0y8TOKUcEzpBfQTwfXELfG5QPl1g6e5Ce3gcxkeH8JG~p4K4a6DUcqvOgZj01~BCI9o0Q3Q8Es1MA8x1TAUOqE4SxjFKKWjklmzboUafIsjYLFZM6gsX7n~zfHDqSZE7y0jVcP6-tRysBrw8HOg39~DVuowvoJTjHEoHN4Cryq7pHSooa8ZS80oNVb6q~YCDZRq-9CSoR9uY8oUfbrNKdG~SwfV0kog0G73~WM-ogL-ebA1GebcwsCArmsAZA86pKHCSc10SZISZSrAAvsB~BXLEs8bh75Sl19IjqOo0gmiMFHzCLqE5~xJAYA45xRo9DNnkKSphhA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cowlitz County Board of Health voted unanimously to adopt a short mission statement and directed staff to circulate existing community health assessments before starting a focused workshop on behavioral‑health facility planning.

“The Cowlitz County Board of Health sets policy and provides oversight in matters that affect the quality of life and health of Cowlitz County residents,” Karen Joyner (board member) read and moved to adopt as the board’s mission statement; the motion passed without opposition.

Why this matters: board members said a concise mission statement will make the board’s role clearer to residents and help guide priorities such as access to primary care, mental‑health services and prevention programs. The board also agreed to review recent local assessments (PeaceHealth, Lower Columbia College Head Start, the ALICE report and others) to identify specific, county‑focused priorities rather than repeat generic goals.

Health Officer Steve Krieger described a common public‑health planning sequence: a community health assessment followed by a community health improvement plan that sets priorities and concrete strategies. “A community health assessment is a way to...look at all the data, talk to our community partners, do community surveys...and try to distill that into what the data say is most important,” Krieger told the board.

Board members raised three recurring themes in the discussion: rebuilding public trust in health institutions, improving access and affordability of primary care, and expanding behavioral‑health capacity. One member asked for materials from other counties and encouraged using existing assessments rather than commissioning a large new report; Krieger offered to share examples from counties where he works.

On a related item, the board agreed to hold a workshop as soon as schedules allow to examine a proposed mental‑health/behavioral‑health facility concept. Board members asked that the behavioral‑health “road map” document circulated to commissioners be forwarded to the entire board so members could begin review before the workshop. The workshop decision was made by consensus rather than formal vote.

Staff also said Health & Human Services will ask the board at its July meeting to approve the department’s 2026 fee schedule to begin billing regulated establishments. Several board members noted they would review the assessment materials ahead of the workshop.

Next steps: staff will distribute the PeaceHealth community health needs assessment, Lower Columbia College Head Start assessment, the ALICE report and the behavioral‑health road map to board members; the board will schedule a behavioral‑health workshop as soon as members’ schedules permit and place the HHS fee schedule on the July agenda for action.","The Board of Health voted to adopt a brief mission statement and agreed to review recent community health assessments as a basis for setting county priorities; members also agreed to convene a workshop on a proposed behavioral‑health facility and asked staff to circulate materials in advance.","actionData","errors"]

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Cowlitz County health leaders say $2.7 million from opioid settlements is in county bank; larger Purdue allocation to state awaits county share

Cowlitz County Board of Health adopts concise mission statement, calls for community health assessment review and schedules mental‑health workshop