Five years after landmark opioid settlements, it remains unclear how Louisiana is spending roughly $100 million allocated to combat addiction. The funds, paid out from lawsuits against major opioid producers and distributors, were meant to help communities respond to the ongoing crisis.
In Lafourche Parish, residents can access free therapy at a new public health unit funded by the settlement money. Counselor Nicole Bourgeois, now full-time thanks to the funding, says the program helps families and individuals affected by addiction. While this service shows direct impact, similar efforts are rare across the state.
Louisiana took a decentralized approach to distributing the funds, giving local jurisdictions significant control and directing 20% to local sheriffs. No comprehensive state-level program exists, apart from operating costs for a nonprofit and an advisory task force. Many parishes have allocated the majority of their funding to law enforcement, courts, and district attorney offices. In Terrebonne Parish, nearly $1 million went solely to the local police department.
Experts say some spending on law enforcement makes sense, especially when used to target fentanyl production or support correctional programs for people with opioid use disorder. However, a significant portion of funds labeled as “treatment” has gone to administrative or legal functions rather than direct services for those battling addiction. Over the first two years, $1.6 million was reported as treatment-related, but much of it went to district attorney offices instead of patients.
Transparency remains a major problem. Sheriffs are not required to publicly report spending, leaving state auditors with limited oversight. Only 35 parishes have filed reports for the first two years, and just 23 have recorded any spending. The nonprofit managing the funds says it is analyzing the latest reports, but it is unclear how many parishes have submitted them. The advisory task force has no authority to enforce spending requirements, creating a gap in oversight.
Some officials and residents want guidance on using the funds effectively. Parishes with unspent allocations have expressed a need for direction, but task force members often lack experience in addressing opioid addiction. In neighboring Arkansas, a partnership administers opioid settlement funds transparently, reviewing hundreds of applications and funding projects that directly support recovery, treatment, and prevention programs.
Louisiana’s slow pace in spending the money frustrates experts. Since the first deposit in 2022, over 2,000 residents have died from opioid-related overdoses. Advocates warn that viewing the funds merely as administrative resources limits their potential to save lives. The settlement money has been called “blood money,” but it could also serve as a source of hope if used effectively.
