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Louisiana has received roughly $100 million in opioid settlement funds, yet five years into the payout process, it remains difficult to see how the state is using the money to combat addiction, The Current writes.
One of the few visible successes is in Lafourche Parish, where free counseling is now available through a newly rebuilt public health unit—but such examples are rare.
Louisiana’s highly decentralized model gives parishes significant control, while a state-supported nonprofit and task force have limited oversight. The state also uniquely directs 20% of funds to sheriffs, giving law enforcement more direct authority than anywhere else.
Only 35 parishes have filed required reports, and just 23 have documented any spending, leaving gaps in public accountability. Many reported expenditures go to courts and district attorneys—sometimes labeled as “treatment” even when not directly tied to addiction services.
East Baton Rouge Parish received a little more than 9% of the state’s settlement share, or $9.3 million. The parish reported spending $702,201 of that share thus far.
Meanwhile, the opioid crisis continues. Since Louisiana received its first settlement deposit in late 2022, more than 2,000 residents have died from opioid-related overdoses.
