Statewide
Governor and First Lady DeSantis Announce Plans for $205.7 Million Opioid Settlement Agreement
Funding will go to programs that prevent and treat substance abuse, including the CORE Network, and establish the Office of Opioid Recovery
Governor Ron DeSantis was joined by First Lady Casey DeSantis to announce plans for the $205.7 million from the Opioid Settlement Agreement. These funds will establish the Office of Opioid Recovery, within the Department of Children and Families, to oversee treatment and recovery efforts statewide. Through cross-agency collaboration and community partnerships, Florida’s plan to use these funds is focused on implementing strategies and expanding programs that effectively serve Florida communities through evidence-based practices, including the CORE Network. For more information, click here. To watch the full press conference, click here.
“We want to stop illicit drugs from entering our state, hold dealers accountable, educate Floridians on the dangers and provide treatment that breaks the addiction cycle,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Opioid addiction is plaguing our state and nation, and we are seeing more fatalities related to overdose than ever before with fentanyl being trafficked through the southern border. We will use funds from the opioid settlement in the most efficient and effective way possible to end addiction in Florida.”
“The urgency to combat substance abuse is only escalating – we are no longer talking about the drugs from ten years ago, and the key to protecting our children is prevention,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis. “Through The Facts. Your Future., materials like what was shown today, and improved substance abuse prevention instruction in schools, students are educated to make decisions that protect their health and see, with their own eyes, the dangerous impact of illicit drug use. In Florida, we are equipping students with the tools they need to overcome challenges and withstand peer pressure to say no to drug use.”
