Opioid Settlement Story Archives - Page 3 of 8 - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Plans For The Opioid Settlement And Understanding What Happened To Kyneddi Miller On This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, the foundation responsible for divvying up West Virginia’s opioid settlement money chose its executive director in March. After taking on the position full-time at the beginning of May, Executive Director Jonathan Board sat down with Appalachia Health News Reporter Emily Rice to discuss his qualifications for the job and plans for the future.

On this West Virginia Morning, the foundation responsible for divvying up West Virginia’s opioid settlement money chose its executive director in March. After taking on the position full-time at the beginning of May, Executive Director Jonathan Board sat down with Appalachia Health News Reporter Emily Rice to discuss his qualifications for the job and plans for the future.

Also, in this show, Kyneddi Miller was found dead in her home in April. A police report said the 14-year-old girl was found in a near skeletal state. Her grandparents and mother have been charged with abuse and neglect. There are conflicting reports about the actions of state agencies involved in the case. Now, officials are pointing fingers at what organizations and policies created the crack that Miller fell through. Briana Heaney has the story.

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Chris Schulz produced this episode.

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Opioid Settlement Funds Foundation Enacts Mission Statement

The foundation responsible for distributing West Virginia’s opioid settlement money met Thursday to enact mission statements and answer questions about when funds will be available to communities.

Through settlements from various lawsuits with opioid manufacturers and distributors, West Virginia stands to gain about $1 billion over the next 10 to 15 years to be spent for recovery and prevention programs.

But it’s not clear yet when distribution of those funds will begin.

First, said Chairman of the Board Matt Harvey, board members want to ensure the money is used correctly. That’s why the West Virginia Legislature created the West Virginia First Foundation (WVFF) during the 2023 legislative session to distribute the settlement funds.

The WVFF board met Thursday. On the agenda: accepting its mission statement, vision statement and 11 guiding principles.

The foundation’s new mission statement is: “Empowering West Virginians to prevent substance use disorder, support recovery and save lives.”

“The importance…is, it starts to tell our story as a foundation,” Harvey said. “And our foundation is obviously to abate the opioid epidemic that has ravaged us for a generation.”

At the close of the meeting, Parkersburg Mayor Tom Joyce – who’s on the board – said while he understood the necessity of agreeing to a vision, he and his constituents wonder when the foundation will take applications.

“I would like to see some real timelines as to when we’re going to actually be able to start taking applications for our funding,” Joyce said. “You know, we’re a year old, right next month. And I’m a little disheartened.”

Harvey said the board wants to get the money to work as soon as possible but the foundation is trying to ensure it is used properly.

“We do share a duty to this foundation to ensure that it’s successful, and this money is being used in an appropriate manner,” Harvey said.

The West Virginia First Foundation will handle 72.5 percent of the state’s settlement funds, while 24.5 percent will go to local governments. The remaining three percent will be held by the state in Escrow to cover any outstanding attorney’s fees.

The treasurer of the board, Jeff Sandy, reported in November 2023, that the money placed in Huntington Bank accounts is accruing interest.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Marshall Health.

Kanawha County Calls For Transparency In Opioid Foundation

Dr. Matthew Christiansen responded to a letter from the Kanawha County Commission urging transparency in opioid settlement spending.

To ensure the money is used correctly, the West Virginia Legislature created the West Virginia First Foundation (WVFF) to distribute those settlement funds.

On Tuesday, the Kanawha County Commission sent a letter to Dr. Mathew Christiansen, the vice chair of the WVFF board.

2024-04-16 Letter to Dr Christiansen Re WV First Foundation_ (002)Download

The letter reminded Christiansen, and the board, of compliance with the Open Meetings Act, which was voted into the foundation bylaws in 2023.

“The counties and municipalities have heard nothing as to the actions of the West Virginia First Foundation,” the letter reads. “We understand that there have been meetings, but that information has been garnered from the media. We should hear from our duly elected representative first, rather than hearing it second hand after the fact and from the media.”

Christiansen said he appreciates the continued dialogue about transparency and openness.

“Certainly appreciate the county commission reaching out for more regular venues or forms of communication and acknowledge that’s really important for this process, going forward,” Christiansen said. “We are a new foundation, and we’re getting our feet underneath us. And as we haven’t had an executive director, we haven’t had full time staff. And so that’s certainly an area that we will be prioritizing and planning around to make sure that we can communicate more regularly with stakeholders and get the message out to make sure that we address their concerns.”

Other than paying attorney’s fees, the WVFF has not spent any settlement money yet according to Christiansen. Those expenditures can be found at wvfirst.org.

The new Executive Director, Jonathan Board is set to start in the beginning of May.

“I acknowledge the importance of communication and the board is committed to transparency and accountability with regards to these dollars,” Christiansen said. “Everything that we do is going to be public.”

W.Va. First Foundation Picks Director

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey named Johnathan Board as the executive director of the West Virginia First Foundation (WVFF).

The state foundation that will distribute nearly $1 billion in opioid settlement money finally has a director.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey named Johnathan Board as the executive director of the West Virginia First Foundation (WVFF).

“As neighbors, we recognize when there’s a problem in one place of the state, it’s a problem in another place,” he said. “And West Virginians are very good neighbors. And so we’re privileged to look out for each other.”

Board’s background includes external and governmental affairs, program management and substance use disorder (SUD) policy, financial oversight and fundraising.

He has served in many capacities as executive director, CEO, director and chairman of the board of businesses and nonprofits, most recently serving as vice president of external affairs for Vandalia Health.

Board graduated with a law degree from West Virginia University (WVU) in 2009 and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Fairmont State University, 2004.

The WVFF board consists of 11 members — six elected by each region and five appointed by the governor. Board will run the day to day operations of the foundation.

“This is a major step toward healing the battered communities in this state caused by the opioid epidemic,” Morrisey said. “I am confident that with Jonathan’s expertise and dedication to this cause, our mission to heal the wounds of the past is on solid ground.”

To ensure the money is used correctly, the West Virginia Legislature created the West Virginia First Foundation to distribute those settlement funds.

The foundation will handle 72.5 percent of the state’s settlement funds, while 24.5 percent will go to local governments. The remaining 3 percent will be held by the state in escrow to cover any outstanding attorney’s fees.

Board was previously elected to the WVFF to represent Region 4. That region includes Barbour, Braxton, Doddridge, Gilmer, Harrison, Lewis, Marion, Monongalia, Preston, Randolph, Taylor, Tucker and Upshur counties. That region will now have to pick a new representative.

He was planning to run for the state Senate as well, but his campaign website consists of a letter announcing that he is suspending his campaign.

West Virginia Starts Distributing Funds From The Settlement Of Opioid Lawsuits

West Virginia is issuing the first checks from a fund established by the settlement of opioid lawsuits in the state, which has by far the nation’s highest drug overdose death rate.

The Kanawha County Commission said Thursday it received a $2.9 million check and plans to discuss how it will be spent at its next meeting on Jan. 11. Last week the Mercer County Commission received $1.9 million.

The distribution is part of a memorandum of understanding that was previously adopted by state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and counsel for West Virginia cities and counties. According to the agreement, the board in charge of around $1 billion in funds will distribute just under three-fourths of the settlement money, and a fourth will go directly to local communities and 3% will remain in trust.

Morrisey told the Kanawha County Commission that his office and the state auditor’s office have formed a partnership to ensure that the settlement funds are used properly. All the money must be used to abate the opioid crisis through efforts such as addiction treatment, recovery and prevention programs, or supporting law enforcement in anti-drug measures.

The state is receiving money from each of its settlement agreements on a staggered schedule, with annual payments coming until at least 2036. The West Virginia First Foundation alone is expected to receive around $367 million over the next five years.

Over the past four years, drug manufacturers, distribution companies, pharmacies and other companies have reached settlements totaling more than $50 billion with governments. While the biggest amounts are national in scope, West Virginia has been aggressive in bringing its own lawsuits and reaching more than a dozen settlements.

A $68 million settlement was announced by the state in May with Kroger, the last remaining defendant in a lawsuit involving Walgreens, Walmart, CVS and Rite Aid. Walgreens settled for $83 million; Walmart for more than $65 million; CVS for $82.5 million; and Rite Aid for up to $30 million.

As part of the state’s 2022 settlement with Teva, the University of Charleston School of Pharmacy starting receiving shipments of the overdose-reversal drug naloxone in September.

Morrisey Partners With State Auditor To Ensure Proper Local Spending Of Opioid Funds

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced a partnership with the state Auditor’s Office to supplement efforts to ensure opioid settlement money will be used for its intended purposes as outlined in the West Virginia First Foundation Memorandum of Understanding.

To make sure opioid settlement money is being used for its intended purpose, local governments will have additional resources from the West Virginia State Auditor’s office.

The MOU created a plan of action to address the opioid crisis and details the allocation method for any settlement funds or judgments received as a result of the various lawsuits against opioid manufacturers, distributors and other parties in the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Morrisey and Auditor J.B. McCuskey are sending letters to cities and counties to provide information and guidance as they begin to receive and plan to spend their share of the opioid settlement money.

“This is another layer in the checks and balances to make sure the money from settlements are used in the best possible way, to attack the opioid scourge head-on,” Morrisey said. “I am pleased to partner with the State Auditor’s Office to bring its proven track record of transparency, accountability, and service to local governments to amplify the collaborative effort between the Attorney General’s Office and local governments around the state.”

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.