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HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT) – A Kentucky commission was tasked with finding the best way to spend $240 million in opioid settlement money.
The Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission met at The Forum on Tuesday in Hazard.
Officials held a town hall hoping to hear from people who were most affected by the opioid crisis.
The commission was formed in June by Attorney General Daniel Cameron.
Bryan Hubbard is the Chairman of the commission.
“We want to make sure that the voice of Kentucky is heard as to how this commission dispenses the resources that have been entrusted to it,” said Hubbard.
He said it is important to hear the stories of those who were impacted.
“We want to make sure that we bring the nature and extent of this problem out into the full open so that the folks in this state can understand how it happens, how we got here and what we’ve got to do to make sure that the next 25 years don’t look like the past 25 years,” Hubbard said.
Kentucky first received $480 million in settlement money, but half of that went directly to the counties.
“There is a lot of blame to go around, and that blame should not be pointed at the folks who are doing their very best to retake ownership of their lives,” said Hubbard.
Adam Larkin is an entrepreneur and opioid recovery success story.
“So my solution was finding out about recovery, going to treatment, getting involved with a 12 step program, getting involved with a higher power, God, and getting outside of myself and stop being the victim, start helping other people,” said Larkin.
He started Gitt Apparel as a way to encourage people to live healthy.
Heidi Hopfensperger is an attorney is Hazard. She believes the money could do a lot of good.
“This money, I really think can make a difference if people collaborate, they work together, people are given hope and an opportunity to make a difference,” she said.
The next town hall is scheduled for October 26 at the UK Student Center in Lexington.
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