Turning the Tide on Opioid Overdoses: Wastewater Data and Opioid Settlement Funds

Amidst the ongoing opioid crisis, this eBook addresses the critical need for innovative solutions and efficient resource allocation. It explores the application of wastewater monitoring for opioids and high-risk substances, focusing on wastewater’s practicality and value in offering real-time, comprehensive insights. The eBook specifically examines the responsible allocation of opioid settlement funds, presenting best practices for spending with a focus on data-driven decision-making.

In this eBook, we share:

1. Opioid Settlement Spending Best Practices: In 2021 and 2022, attorneys general in almost every state reached financial settlements to resolve opioid litigation, resulting in $56B settlement funds. The eBook provides insights into recommended best practices for states to enhance prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts for opioid use, emphasizing the importance of data in informed decision-making.
2. The Power of Wastewater: Wastewater data can fill critical gaps that exist in community-level understanding of high-risk substance use and program effectiveness, while also being cost-effective, timely, and equitable. 
3. The Future Possibilities: Wastewater data can enable analysis and evaluation that has never been available, making other evidence-based practices even more effective by putting them in the right place at the right time. 

Focused on the value of wastewater data, this eBook aims to provide practical insights for communities seeking to strategize their opioid settlement fund spending with data-driven interventions.