Buffalo Clinical Lab appeals for opioid‑settlement help, warns of service gaps

Representatives of Buffalo Clinical Lab urged the Lackawanna City Council on Feb. 2 to consider allocating opioid settlement funds and assisting with outside funding requests, arguing the lab provides community testing, Narcan distribution and referrals to treatment. The lab representatives said the organization registered more than 13,000 visits last year and that a pause in funding could force service reductions with public safety consequences.

"We had 13,000 plus visits last year alone in our city," the Buffalo Clinical Lab representative told the council, describing walk‑in testing, telehealth treatment and community outreach including 'cold weather survival backpacks.' The lab asked about the status of allocated opioid settlement funds, reserve funding and a separate $220,000 non‑capital grant referenced in recent county funding; city Attorney Ariana said the city currently has $8,484.12 in its opioid reserve funding and that 2026 settlement funding has not been received to date.

Ariana said the city's prior conversations with the lab focused on court‑related toxicology screenings and that any new use of opioid settlement funds may require council approval and possibly an RFP process; she said Buffalo Clinical Lab had been asked to provide additional documentation about services and outstanding invoices so the city could evaluate a funding request. After discussion the council voted unanimously to "receive and file" the lab's request for further consideration.