County authorizes participation in Purdue/Sackler settlement; questions remain about spending restrictions

Anaconda Deer Lodge County commissioners authorized county staff to execute a participation form to join the proposed national Purdue/Sackler opioid settlement ahead of the 09/30/2025 deadline, while seeking clarity on how settlement proceeds will be distributed and spent.

County counsel and staff reminded the commission that the county originally joined opioid litigation in 2018 and has retained local and national counsel. A county representative said, "The settlement is for about $66,500,000,000.0 to be paid over the course of 15 years. They expected Montana share of that, is just a little over $16,000,000," and recommended the county sign the paperwork to participate. Commissioners asked whether the Montana distribution imposes restrictions on how counties must spend their share; the representative said the state will have a distribution contract and that staff would locate the original documents and provide the details.

Commissioner O'Rara (questioning) asked whether funds were to be used for rehabilitation and treatment versus enforcement; county staff said past local opioid funds have been split between public health treatment programs and law enforcement activity, and that the county's appointed opioid abatement representative (Lauren Bolton) is engaged in ongoing work with existing funds. The commission moved and seconded a motion to approve executing the participation form and carried it by voice vote.

County staff committed to locate and share the original participation documents and the state's distribution contract so commissioners can confirm allowable uses before any local program allocations are made. The authorization allows the county to preserve its option to share in Montana's portion of a national settlement if the final settlement and allocation proceed as currently proposed.