With over $100,000 already arriving to Yazoo County, the 2025 opioid settlement funds are beginning to disperse over Mississippi communities. And local application attempts are on the move as local agencies and government entities look to acquire more settlement funds.
The Mississippi Opioid Settlement Fund applications are now available through the Office of the Attorney General, which includes the council chaired by Attorney General Lynn Fitch. Those receiving the potential grants must focus on efforts to treat, prevent or reduce opioid abuse.
Thanks to national settlements with pharmaceutical distributors and opioid manufacturers, the state of Mississippi will split the fund settlements into three categories. Fifteen percent heads to the state government. Another 15 percent goes to counties and cities, based on population and the crisis effect. And the remaining 70 percent is placed within an opioid abatement fund, controlled by the Legislature.
Sam Martin, who serves as a lobbyist for Yazoo County, appeared before the Board of Supervisors this week to kickstart the efforts for the county to apply for additional settlement funds.
“The county is already receiving about $120,000,” Martin said. “Council has about $90 million dollars in the bank, and they are expected to get around $200 million to $250 million dollars over a period of about six years. That could change depending on what happens with these pharmaceutical groups. But it would be a lot of money. They do have that $90 million dollars that is sitting in a bank account somewhere in the state treasurer’s office.”
Martin suggested that Yazoo County apply for additional funds to hire two social workers to coordinate healthcare resources within local nonprofit organizations, as well as establishing opioid prevention programs within the schools and community.
“You already have $120,000 already,” Martin said. “We are asking for $360,000, and that would be enough to find those two social workers with a salary of around $40,000 for one and $35,000 for the others with their fringe benefits over a four-year period.”
The program would be called the Yazoo HEALS Grant program: Yazoo Health, Education, Access, Leadership and Sustainability. Those hired under the program would be considered regular Yazoo County employees, reporting to the county administrator.
The county board approved the application to initiate the efforts for the Yazoo HEALS Grant program.
In line with the involved local nonprofits, Martin said letters of support are also required by the council. The two local nonprofits include Foundation on the Rock and Inspired Heights Ministry.
Foundation on the Rock is a 12-month addiction program for women with available housing on Highway 3 near the Satartia community. The program includes a family atmosphere with children available to remain with the participating women. The group intends to pursue $590,000 to purchase six tiny homes for participating residents.
Inspired Heights Ministry, housed at the former St. Francis Church and Mission School, serves as a residency for the homeless, recovering addicts, and those in crisis. The ministry will be pursuing $380,000.
The county board agreed to provide letters of support for the two organizations.
The Yazoo County Sheriff’s Department will also be applying for opioid settlement funds. Deputy Jackie Hudson also appeared before the county board to share the department’s desire to use the possible funds to enhance its current Flock Safety Program, which includes license plate recognition capabilities.
“Adding more cameras in the county will help track and eliminate the opioids coming into the county, mostly to the federal prison and the regional facility,” Hudson said. “The more cameras we have, the more we can have our deputies out patrolling the back roads. The drugs are coming in through our back roads now. For example, the drugs coming out of Holmes County are coming in on Eden Midway Road because they know we are patrolling the main roads. If we get more cameras on our main thoroughfares, deputies can focus on these back roads to stop these drugs from coming in.”
It is anticipated that the council will make its decision on fund disbursement by December.
