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Gardner says it has spent opioid settlement funds and hired a recovery support navigator
Summary
Mayor Nicholson said Gardner is one of four Massachusetts communities to have fully obligated its opioid settlement allocations and described a regional recovery support navigator funded through pooled settlement money.
Gardner has fully spent and obligated the opioid settlement funds it has received so far, Mayor Nicholson said, and the city is pooling resources with neighboring towns to fund a recovery support navigator.
The mayor said the opioid settlements — payments from manufacturers, distributors and retailers that stemmed from statewide litigation led by the former Massachusetts attorney general — provide annual funding to cities and towns through 2032. Gardner reached out to Representative Slotnick and met with regional partners in Templeton, Westminster and Winchendon to coordinate a pooled approach, the mayor said.
The pooled funds helped hire a recovery support navigator, described by the mayor as a bachelor’s-degree-level clinician whose role is to meet people after overdose-related 911 calls, perform assessments (housing, health, family, food security) and build a customized recovery plan connecting individuals to local services.
Why this matters: The mayor presented the navigator as a targeted, post-overdose follow-up designed to guide residents toward treatment and support organizations in North Central Massachusetts. Gardner’s status as one of four municipalities to have fully spent its initial settlement allocation was highlighted as evidence of local commitment.
Details: The mayor said Gardner had convened a regional meeting and hired the recovery support navigator to reduce the burden on individuals of finding appropriate services after an overdose. The mayor linked the navigator’s work to existing local providers and said Gardner will continue opioid-related programming.
Limitations: The mayor did not provide the navigator’s name, hiring date, or the specific funding amounts Gardner contributed to the pooled effort during the update.
Ending: Mayor Nicholson said Gardner will continue to support residents affected by addiction and that the city remains committed to recovery services.
