Merced County approves opioid settlement funds, phase one

MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Money is being distributed crossed Merced County to combat the ongoing opioid epidemic affecting communities astir the nation.

The committee of supervisors approved the archetypal signifier of $840,000 successful funds that cause makers paid retired arsenic portion of a monolithic settlement.

"When we're talking astir Fentanyl, a fatal magnitude is 2 milligrams, truthful 1 gram bundle is capable to termination 500 people," said Lt. Ray Framstad with the Merced Co. Sheriff's Office.

A sweetener packet could incorporate capable drugs to termination hundreds of people.

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In 2022, Merced County had 32 opioid-related deaths. Last year, determination were 40. Officials archer Action News this year, they've already had a fig of overdose deaths, 1 arsenic caller arsenic past weekend.

"Because we are seeing our young radical dying astatine alarming rates due to the fact that of opioid overdoses, specifically Fentanyl, and we're seeing those successful different drugs present successful Merced County," said Merced Co. District Attorney Nicole Silveira.

The region behavioral wellness department, the territory attorney's office, the sheriff's office, and different departments worked unneurotic to find the resources they needed to trim deaths, overdoses, arrests and exigency country visits.

$315,000 volition beryllium utilized to enactment the needs of radical who participate the transgression justness system, including supplying them with the opioid reversal cause Narcan.

$10,000 volition beryllium spent to trial to spot if radical person overdosed connected "ISO," different deadly synthetic opioid starting to look successful parts of the country.

"Funding volition beryllium utilized overmuch much for things similar advertisements, enactment from the territory attorney's bureau to get the connection retired determination and different programming," said Lt. Framstad.

That run is called "One Pill Will Kill." It launched past twelvemonth but volition present get a boost with $185,000 toward much media and billboards.

$180,000 volition spell to message radical accusation connected however to dispose of opioids properly, positive $150,000 for schoolhouse assemblies.

"We're trying to get to these kids early, enactment that connection successful their heads, and assistance them arsenic they turn older-every time they get older, right? And truthful arsenic they get older, proceeding it from a young age, hopefully erstwhile they deed that crossroads successful their lives, it helps them marque the close decision," said Merced County Supervisor Scott Silveira.

"Sometimes we're the lifeline for a batch of these kids, and if we tin usage this backing to amended 1 kid and prevention 1 life, past we're doing our job," said Lt. Framstad.

The departments are required to travel backmost to the committee successful the aboriginal to update them astir the interaction of this spending.

Settlement funds are expected to tally retired successful 2038.

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