The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) has introduced a new online resource to monitor the use of over $100 million in settlement funds from national opioid lawsuit settlements. These funds, secured through agreements with major pharmaceutical companies, will be distributed to Hawaiʻi annually until 2038.
The website offers insights into the Hawaiʻi Opioid Settlement Project (OSP), which was initiated by the DOH Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division (ADAD) in 2023 to manage these funds. The University of Hawaiʻi’s Data Science Institute collaborated with ADAD to create an interactive platform featuring data dashboards for transparency and public engagement.
The OSP website, launched on January 6, includes three main data dashboards:
1. The Opioid Overdose Data Dashboard tracks indicators such as overdose deaths and emergency visits.
2. The Opioid Settlement Fund Data Dashboard details Hawaiʻi’s share of the national settlement funds.
3. The Naloxone Statewide Distributions Data Dashboard provides information on naloxone distribution across the state.
Under the settlement terms, 85% of the funds will be managed by the state and 15% by Hawaiʻi’s counties. An advisory committee was formed to ensure proper allocation according to the agreement's conditions.
Current allocations focus on expanding addiction treatment access, supporting harm-reduction strategies like free naloxone distribution, and enhancing prevention initiatives against opioid misuse.
“Opioid addiction, substance use and overdose deaths have torn families apart, damaged relationships and devastated communities,” said Dr. Kenneth Fink, DOH director. “We must dedicate available resources to healing the wounds caused by drug addiction. DOH is committed to ensuring that any funds allocated in settlements to the state through DOH will be stewarded responsibly, strategically and expeditiously.”
Further information is available on the Hawaiʻi Opioid Settlement Project and Behavioral Health Dashboard websites.