Planning Principles Toolkit

The Principles for the Use of Funds From the Opioid Litigation are nationally recognized guidance for states, counties and cities receiving money from the lawsuits against entities that contributed to the opioid epidemic. Coordinated by faculty at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (Johns Hopkins), the Principles are designed to help governments of all levels lay the foundation to effectively invest opioid settlement funds to save lives from overdose.

Principles for the Use of Funds from the Opioid Litigation

1. Spend the money to save lives
2. Use evidence to guide spending
3. Invest in youth prevention
4. Focus on racial equity
5. Develop a fair and transparent process for determining where to spend the money

To apply the Principles in the county context, NACo is partnering with Johns Hopkins to create a series of Quick Guides illustrating how the Principles can inform and support county administration of opioid settlement funds.

The Principles Quick Guide to Conducting a Needs Assessment

The Principles encourage communities to use settlement funds to supplement existing opioid abatement work (Principle 1) and invest in effective evidence-based interventions (Principle 2). Conducting a local needs assessment is an important early step in determining how to disburse these limited resources for maximum impact.

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The Principles Quick Guide to Creating a Settlement Council

The Principles encourage communities to spend money to save lives (Principle 1) and create a fair and transparent process (Principle 5). Creating a council with expertise in issues related to substance use can help create an informed process that ensures dollars from the litigation are going toward identified areas of need.

ACCESS THE QUICK GUIDE