📰BIDDEFORD | Biddeford Awarded $94,502.86 (FY 2026) from National Opioid Settlement Fund
- Feb 4
- 1 min read
February 4, 2026, According to Biddeford City General Assistance Administrator Jacob Hammer, the City of Biddeford has recieved $94,502.86 from the National Opioid Settlement Fund (OSF) for fiscal year 2026.
Hammer explained, "in 2014, US administrative units began filing lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and distributors... with over $56 Billion expected to be paid out nationwide. Settlement payments to individual governments started in 2022 and
expected to be made through 2040."
Jacob went on to express that "governments are restricted in their usage of funds by terms of the specific settlements entered into", because of this, in September 2024, Biddeford City Councilors adopted the OPIOID USE SETTLEMENT FUND TRACKING AND REPORTING ordinance.
Following the September adoption, In January 2025, Council approved a Opioid Settlement Funds Strategic Action Plan outlining:
1) All Opioid Use Settlement Funds shall be utilized solely to supplement and
strengthen resources for the approved uses described herein. These uses include
opioid use disorder prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery.
2) The expenditure of Opioid Use Settlement Funds is strictly prohibited from being
used to offset or supplant any existing or already budgeted expenditures. This
includes any attempt to use opioid use settlement funds to replace or reduce
funding for programs or services that are currently funded through other sources.
Put simply, the City has recieved $94,502.86 from a national Settlement that is to be used to assist with treatment and recovery from Opioid Use Disorder in the City.
⭐️Honorable Mention to AccessDirect Recovery Network who Jacob Hammer mentioned as being a large part of helping treat this crisis.
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