AG Weiser announces funding proposal to support fight against opioids in Southern Colorado

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Southern Colorado counties could soon see additional funding in the battle against opioids.

Attorney General Phil Weiser outlined a proposal Monday, which would distribute millions in settlement funds to local governments, and next steps for El Paso and Teller Counties.

"We're getting funding from lawsuits, from those companies who pushed out these opioids in the most reckless, irresponsible way," Weiser said.

Colorado stands to receive a large sum from the $573 million settlement with McKinsey & Company for its role in the opioid epidemic with Purdue Pharma. At least 48 states, including Colorado, filed suit.

According to Weiser, the money will go toward education prevention, recovery and treatment, harm reduction and criminal justice programs across Colorado.

"That is happening all over our state," Weiser said, "Doesn't matter what you look like, how much money you earn, [your] education. This epidemic has touched all parts of our society."

Funds will be divided among local and regional governments as well as statewide addiction programs, distributed over an 18-year period. But to access it, leaders will need to submit a two-year plan, detailing how they'll use the money.

"It definitely makes you take a lot of time to try to understand the issue when you have a family member who is going through that," El Paso County Commissioner Carrie Geitner said, "You want to understand why this would be happening to them."

For Geitner, who lost her brother to an overdose, finding the right solution is personal.

"Of course you want to look for ways that you can help and figure out ways that you can prevent others that you love from experiencing the same thing."

Decision makers, made up of city, county and health department leaders, as well as law enforcement and treatment experts said their first priority is stopping the stigma.

"We need to embrace serving individuals who have these types of illnesses, and it is an illness. So, how we work together as a community to reduce stigma matters," Springs Recovery Connection CEO, Trudy Hodges said.