Horn Lake residents trying to recover from substance abuse addiction and mental health issues, and who are not able to pay the expense of treatment will now have an option to help have those expenses taken care of. The funding, coming through a settlement between states and opioid manufacturers and distributors, will be available through a local recovery center and the City of Horn Lake.
Opioids are a class of drugs that are used to relieve pain. Prescription medications like oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), morphine, fentanyl and illegal drugs like heroin come under the classification of opioids, which can be highly addictive, even when prescribed.
In the late 1990s and 2000s, doctors were encouraged by pharmaceutical companies to prescribe opioids more freely. This led to millions of prescriptions, often without adequate monitoring. Many people who became addicted to opioids started with legal prescriptions.
Mississippi became one of the first states to sue opioid manufacturers and distributors and a settlement was reached in 2021 with three opioid distributors, Cardinal Health, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen, as well as Johnson & Johnson, a leading manufacturer. More recently, the state chose to participate in national settlements with Teva, Allergan, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and Kroger’s pharmacies.
Mississippi was to receive about $370 million as part of the settlement, split between the state and local governments. Seventy percent of the funds go to the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Addiction Medicine Center, 15 percent to counties and municipalities and another 15 percent will go directly to the state general fund. An advisory council has been formed to determine how the state will spend its share of settlement.
Woodland Recovery Center’s Stacy Dodd (center) joined Mayor Allen Latimer and other officials at the check presentation for the city’s opioid settlement funding, matched by Woodland Recovery Center. (Courtesy photo)
Municipalities were allowed to opt in to receive part of the city and/or county share of the settlement and the City of Horn Lake allocated its funding to the Woodland Recovery Center, which had to match the city’s portion.
The Board of Aldermen recently voted 7-0 to provide $75,000 that Woodland matched. A check presentation was made at Horn Lake City Hall on Monday, June 30. The funds will be used to help citizens from Horn Lake obtain services for Substance Use Disorders.
Woodland Recovery Center Territory Manager Stacy Dodd expressed excitement for the possibility the funding will give to help those needed treatment.
“I’m so thankful that the funds will go directly to those needing to get into treatment,” Dodd said. “I’m thankful for the City of Horn Lake making this a reality.”
In late 2023, Bradford Health Services took over ownership of the former Vertava Health of Mississippi in Southaven, rebranding it as Woodland Recovery Center. Woodland now operates under the Bradford Health network.
Bradford Health Vice President of Business Development Brett Martin told DeSoto County News his organization was grateful to the city for the partnership.
“As neighbors in northern Mississippi, we’re honored to serve the residents of Horn Lake and support their journey toward recovery with compassionate, comprehensive care,” Martin said. “It is an honor to be trusted by the city with this responsibility, and we do not take it lightly.”
Martin said the funding, along with matching support from Woodland Recovery Center and Bradford Health Services, will help provide services to those that may not otherwise have the means to receive treatment services.
Those eligible to get funding under this program must be residents of Horn Lake.
