The Maine Recovery Council has yet to spend any of the settlement money it has received from opioid manufacturers over the past year, even as overdose deaths continue at a near record pace.
The Maine Monitor reports that the council has collected $17 million so far, but has been focused on administrative work since it first began meeting eight months ago.
That work includes making plans to hire a coordinator, developing bylaws and gathering feedback on the best way to spend the money. The council's executive director, Patricia Kimball, says it's a "long, painful process" that can't be avoided.
"We want to make sure when that money is handed out, it's not somebody who has a terrific idea but never been tested," she said. "We want to be able to say the money goes to programs that are evidence based, that are proven to make a difference in the lives of people who have substance use disorder, or an opiate use disorder."
Kimball says part of that process also means setting a budget that follows the settlement distribution timeline. The council is expected to handle about half of the $235 million Maine receives from opioid manufacturers and sellers through 2038.
