The Springfield City Council has approved an emergency bill authorizing the city to join the National Opioids Settlement as a participating subdivision. The move allows the City Manager, or a designee, to execute settlement participation forms related to agreements with opioid manufacturers and distributors, including Janssen.
Opioids such as heroin, morphine, and hydrocodone have been at the center of a national crisis due to their impact on the brain’s control of breathing, which can result in fatal overdoses. In response, local governments across the United States, including Springfield, filed lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and distributors. More than 3,000 cases were consolidated into multi-district litigation to streamline similar legal issues before trial. On July 21, plaintiffs in these cases announced terms for a global settlement agreement involving Janssen and several drug distributors.
Under the settlement structure, states must first decide whether to participate. Political subdivisions within those states then have the option to join. The agreement will not proceed if too few states or subdivisions participate. States are eligible for greater settlement funds if more of their political subdivisions take part; those subdivisions also receive incentive funds for agreeing by January 2, 2022. States may further adjust how funds are allocated among their subdivisions through statutes or allocation agreements.
Missouri has chosen to participate in this global settlement agreement but did not provide allocation terms or draft agreements for its political subdivisions during much of the required decision period. As of December 17, there was no allocation information available on either the Missouri attorney general’s website or the National Opioids Settlement website specific to Missouri.
Despite limited information from state officials about potential allocations for cities like Springfield, outside legal counsel advised city leaders to preserve eligibility for incentive funds that could support efforts against opioid abuse locally. “The City has been advised by outside legal counsel to preserve its right to incentive settlement funds that would help combat the opioid epidemic in our community, and therefore elect, upon advice of outside legal counsel, to proceed with participation agreement approval prior to the Jan. 2, 2022 deadline.”
The exact amount Springfield will receive depends on how many other Missouri political subdivisions choose to participate and how Missouri ultimately determines allocations.
Springfield has experienced significant impacts from opioid abuse in recent years. In October 2019 alone, there were 40 reported overdoses—including four deaths—within two weeks; approximately 70 overdoses occurred that month overall.
Fire Chief David Pennington noted that opioid-related emergencies occur throughout Springfield without following any specific pattern: “Calls to respond to overdoses come in at all times of the day and night from all parts of the city, across all socioeconomic levels.” During periods of increased incidents like those seen in October 2019, multiple departments and agencies collaborated closely on response efforts.
For further information about Springfield’s participation in this settlement process or ongoing efforts related to opioids in the community, residents are encouraged to contact Melissa Haase at 417-536-7648 or [email protected].
