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Wilbraham board weighs uses for roughly $35,000 in opioid settlement funds
Summary
Advisory Board of Health members discussed that the town’s opioid settlement allocation is approximately $35,000 and considered community surveys, mini‑grants, treatment supports and Naloxone training as options; no allocation decision was made.
Ryan Paxton told the Advisory Board of Health that the state’s formula for allocating opioid settlement money is complicated and influenced by factors such as pupil numbers and regionalization, making exact town shares difficult to calculate. He said Wilbraham’s current balance is approximately $35,000.
Paxton recommended the board use data to inform priorities for the funds, suggesting a community needs survey, ranked interventions, a formal application process for local organizations, mini‑grants for specific programming, and supports to help individuals enter or remain in treatment (for example transportation and child care). He also proposed broader options such as funding education for older adults about safe prescription management and Naloxone training for town government and public access use.
Paxton noted that the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health currently funds a clinician embedded with the Wilbraham Police Department and that a 90‑day review of that arrangement is upcoming and could inform local needs assessments. Board member Timothy O’Neil provided a pharmacy estimate that a box of Narcan can cost about $45 through a pharmacy program.
The board discussed next steps for developing criteria and outreach to solicit ideas for use of the funds; no formal allocation or vote took place on March 12.
