Harvard is poised to receive a total of $620,574 from opioid settlement agreements reached with companies whose business practices contributed to the country’s epidemic of opioid addiction. That amount is far higher than neighboring towns will receive (see graph below), and the Press continues to investigate the reason for what Select Board member Don Ludwig referred to as “winning the opioid lottery.”
So far, the town has received $151,863 in opioid abatement funds, and it will continue to receive annual payments totalling an additional $468,711 between now and 2038. The state specifies that money from the settlements be spent on community-based substance use prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support. At its May 7 meeting, Select Board members reviewed requests from the ambulance and police departments, as well as the schools, for items that might qualify as opioid abatement fund projects.
Ambulance Co-Director Jason Cotting requested $4,900 for community EMS supplies and services, including a laptop, internet, and software, medical supplies, marketing materials and printing, as well as Naloxone distribution advertising. Board member Charles Oliver asked if the department needed money to purchase Naloxone, a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose. Cotting said licensed ambulances in Massachusetts are required to carry it, but it’s fairly cheap. He said, “We don’t use that much of it. We don’t have many overdoses in town.”
Oliver asked if there was anything else related to opioid use that the Ambulance Service might need. Cotting reiterated that the service doesn’t spend a lot of resources responding to opioid-related emergencies. “We’re pretty fortunate in that way,” he said. He added that the supplies and services request he made will allow the department to take a couple of proactive steps. “If I ask for a lot more than that, I think I’d be just grabbing for money rather than filling real needs,” he said.
The schools requested $9,300 to hire Boston-based Public Consulting Group to conduct a survey of residents to understand the town’s opioid abatement needs. It would also hold three listening sessions for that same purpose. The firm anticipates it would spend about 60 hours on the project, which would include a meeting with town officials to review conclusions. The board voted unanimously to accept the Ambulance Service and school proposals, for a total of $14,200.
Narcotic detection systems
Police Chief James Babu had three requests. The first was for a TruNarc Narcotics Detection System, a portable device that can identify over 500 drugs, including opioids, in a single test. In his proposal, Babu justified the request by saying, “Quick and accurate identification of narcotics will enable swift action, reducing the potential harm to the community.” He added that it would also reduce lab costs and help preserve evidence. The purchase price he quoted, which included a $152 solution kit capable of 20 tests, was $40,452.
A second request was for the Mystaire Fentanyl Lab Hood System, a device that would provide safe handling and processing of fentanyl for his officers. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is frequently mixed with other drugs, and according to Babu’s proposal, “exposure to even minute amounts of fentanyl can result in severe health complications.” The device, along with a $285 pack of a dozen filters, would cost $9,135.
Community outreach video
Chief Babu’s third proposal was for creating “a community outreach video focused on the uses and dangers of opioids.” The 20- to 30-minute film would be produced by Fire Engine Productions, founded by Harvard resident and firefighter Robert Curran. The film would tell the story of a Harvard family dealing with the loss of a loved one from opioids, and it would include information on recognizing the signs of addiction and seeking treatment. Curran estimates the cost of producing the film would be $24,750.
The board agreed to wait until its May 21 meeting to discuss the police proposals. It was specifically concerned about whether the Police Department’s device requests would be eligible for settlement funds. Oliver was also concerned about the ongoing supply expenses for the two devices. Chief Babu will come to the meeting to discuss the proposals.
The Press asked Chief Babu if the devices in his proposal could be shared with neighboring towns. He said absolutely, adding that he meets regularly with local police chiefs, and they have already discussed how useful the TruNarc system would be to them. He said a Harvard officer would bring the device to a call from another town if it was requested and the officer would assist with its use. “It’s a $40,000 piece of equipment,” he said. The same would be true for the fentanyl handling system.
More than the board was told to expect?
During the meeting, the board was given incorrect information about how much abatement money the town is slated to receive over the next 14 years. Assistant Town Administrator Marie Sobalvarro mistakenly told members that Harvard will receive only another $126,737 in settlement money between now and 2038, but the amount is actually $468,711. Sobalvarro told the Press she got the figure from Finance Director Jared Mullane. The numbers suggest that Mullane was considering the “distributors'' settlement as the only source of opioid settlement funds. The distributors are three pharmaceutical companies, Amerisource Bergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson, who are grouped together in a single settlement agreement, which will pay Harvard a total of $278,600. There are six other settlements, with manufacturers Johnson & Johnson, Teva, and Allergan, and pharmacy chains CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart, representing an additional $341,974 the town will receive. Payments from five of the seven settlement agreements began earlier this year; payments from Johnson & Johnson and the distributors began in 2022. Mullane had not yet responded to the Press’ request for more information as of press time.
