California Is Investing $500M in Therapy Apps for Youth. Advocates Fear It Won’t Pay Off. via Molly Work @kffhealthnews buff.ly/3y3aTuv

A Kansas board that allocates opioid settlement funds paused its work after state lawmakers circumvented the process & awarded $ on their own, including $200k to an 'enthusiastic sobriety' group alleged to have cult-like behavior, reports @bykyliecameron buff.ly/44mx9vB

Want to know how Tennessee is distributing $80 million in opioid settlement funds? Listen to this great conversation I had with Catherine Sweeney of @wpln that will catch you up on the main takeaways. buff.ly/49MeU3S

So incredibly honored to be on this list with people whose reporting has deeply informed, inspired, and impressed me!

Another great example: Madelyn Beck at WyoFile reports on opioid settlement funds in Wyoming, many unspent and some used on things like $5k worth of fentanyl-resistant gloves - which she explains are not necessary b/c touching fentanyl isn't dangerous. wyofile.com/more-than-90-o…

She used our @kffhealthnews database as a first step to discover how much opioid settlement $ IL received so far. Then she followed with classic journalism: call the right people & ask tough Qs.

Wanna do the same in your community? Here's the database: kffhealthnews.org/news/article/o…

Great reporting by Olivia Olander Chicago Tribune on how opioid settlement money is slow to get out the door and into the community in Illinois -- a concern echoed in many other states too. buff.ly/4dngsV9

Rural Jails Turn to Community Health Workers To Help the Newly Released Succeed via @kffhealthnews -- and some are paid with #opioidsettlementfunds buff.ly/44c70iZ

Great article by Suzanne King @theBeaconKC --> 'Kansas City-area politicians pick between war on drugs or treatment when spending opioid settlement cash' buff.ly/4aTypIG

In South Dakota, the gap was 22 years.

'It's almost blasphemy for a physician to say,' but 'the answer to addressing these things is not hiring more doctors+nurses,' a Lakota doctor said. 'The answer is having more community-based preventions.'

For KFF Health News+CBS News:

One North Philadelphia resident eagerly accepted a box of Narcan from an opioid crisis outreach team, which is funded by the city's opioid settlement dollars. “I will carry this with me,” the resident said, adding that perhaps she could save a life. buff.ly/3UlSK3S

#ICYMI You can now watch a recording of the KFF Health News webinar on how local reporters can track opioid settlement money in their communities: youtube.com/watch?v=MD-Igr…

'The spirit of the settlements wasn’t to keep doing what you’re doing. It was to do more,' said Robert Kent, former general counsel for the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Instead of spending opioid settlement funds on new services, some places are using it to generate savings. They’re paying for staff salaries and programs typically covered by other resources. My latest for @kffhealthnews & @usatoday #opioidsettlements buff.ly/3xv2jEE

KFF Health News senior correspondent Aneri Pattani joined KMOX earlier this week to discuss to talk about the billions in opioid settlement funds that are flowing to state, local governments, along with questions if the money is being used right
bit.ly/3J8SsHk

Join our team!

Our newsroom is seeking a reporting fellow who will work as an audio-first journalist, helping to expand our offering of features for KFF Health News’ broadcast partners including CBS News Radio, NPR, and Marketplace.

Apply here: kff.bamboohr.com/careers/78

What’s driving the youth mental health crisis? We asked 1,400 clinicians. via POLITICO buff.ly/3JgGtaQ

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