Opioid & Substance Use Disorder Prevention

Preventing substance use and opioid use disorder is essential in averting adverse health impacts and death for people who may struggle with opioid misuse and substance use disorders.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, substance misuse is among the top public health concerns in the nation. In 2023, there were 595 reported overdose incidents in Seminole County. There are many corporate entities who contributed to the opioid epidemic so in 2018, Florida entered historic litigation to recover funds to abate the issue. After four years of discovery, the lawsuit proceeded toward trial in April 2022. All the corporations involved settled before the trial began except for Walgreens, which eventually also settled. Walmart approached the State and negotiated an additional settlement, even though the State had not yet sued Walmart. In total, the State of Florida is expected to receive over $1.6 billion over the next 16 years. Seminole County is a recipient of opioid settlement funds and is expected to receive over $30 million.