Deadline for joining opioid settlements is Jan. 2

Massachusetts cities and towns have just a few more weeks to join the statewide opioid resolutions announced this past summer by Attorney General Maura Healey.

The resolutions will provide up to $537 million to the Commonwealth and its cities and towns over 18 years to fund additional prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery efforts across Massachusetts. Healey and lawyers representing thousands of municipalities in the national opioid litigation strongly encourage municipalities to join.

Municipalities have until Jan. 2 to join by either:
• Mailing their original completed participation forms to Office of the Attorney General, Attn: Opioid Settlement Team, One Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108; or
• Registering online using their municipality’s unique registration code and completing the sign-on process via DocuSign. Note that there could be a short lag between registering online and receiving the sign-on documents. Municipalities that need their unique registration code can request it by emailing MAOpioidSettlements@mass.gov. Healey’s office is requesting that municipalities complete the process by mid-December.

Cities and towns that join will receive a portion of the settlement funds directly, regardless of their size or whether they filed a lawsuit, so long as they agree to use the payments to abate the opioid crisis in their communities.

The Attorney General’s Office website provides answers to frequently asked questions about the settlements.