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AG Ford encourages local governments to work together to fight the opioid epidemic

Carson City, NV – Today, Attorney General Aaron D. Ford encouraged local governments to work together with each other and the state to use their opioid settlement monies to fight the opioids epidemic. The recent opioids awards come from Nevada’s share of the settlements with opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and the three largest opioid distributors through the One Nevada Agreement on Allocation of Opioid Recoveries.

“Because Nevada secured money from these opioid settlements, local Nevada communities will be able to put funding — this year — toward desperately needed programs and services to begin to abate this crisis,” said AG Ford. “The funds will reach those who are most in need of assistance as opioid-related deaths continue to rise in our state.”

The opioid settlement monies have come to Nevada at a critical time, as the state reported a 55%increase in opioid-related deaths between 2019 and 2020. According to the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, accidental overdose deaths among Nevadans rose from 510 in 2019 to 788 in 2020. From 2010 to 2020, the number of opioid-related overdose deaths increased by 24%, and the rate per 100,000 Nevada residents for opioid related deaths increased from 16.2% to 17.2%.

Last year, the state, along with all Nevada counties and litigating cities, came to an agreement on the intrastate allocation of funds from opioid-related recoveries. The One Nevada Agreement provides a plan for how funds from any Nevada opioid-related settlement will be allocated among the State and various local governmental entities in order to reduce the impacts of the opioid epidemic in the State. While the counties and litigating cities will be receiving separate allocations under the One Nevada Agreement, many understand the need to fight he opioid epidemic with a regional approach.

The State and each signatory to the One Nevada Agreement will receive, before costs, an approximate total of $71,131,949.69 in 2022. The Department of Health and Human Services divides the state into five regions. Those regions’ monetary allocations are below.    

Clark County Behavioral Region

Clark County is the state’s most populous region with a population of 2.267 million in 2019. Clark County, along with the litigating cities of Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas, will receive approximately $26,311,995.82 as a result of the settlements. 

In 2020, 542 Clark County residents died from unintentional opioid overdose. Opioid prescription rates were 72.2 per 100 people in 2017.

Washoe County Behavioral Region

Washoe County, along with the litigating cities of Reno and Sparks, will receive approximately $3,739,298.51 as a result of the settlements.

In 2020, 166 Washoe County residents died from unintentional opioid overdose. Opioid prescription rates were 87.4 per 100 people in 2017.Washoe County is the state’s second most populous region with a population of 486,492 in 2020.

Northern Nevada Behavioral Region – Carson City, Douglas County, Lyon County, Storey County and Churchill County

The Northern Nevada Behavioral Region includes the counties of Douglas, Lyon, Storey, and Churchill, along with Carson City, Fernley, and the Central and North Lyon Fire Districts, will receive approximately $2,028,043.79 as a result of the settlements.  

In 2020, 37 individuals in the Northern Nevada Behavioral region died as a result of opioid related deaths.

Most recent county-specific data shows that 13 out of every 100,000 Carson City residents died from an opioid overdose in 2017. Opioid prescription rates were 91.1 per 100 people. Carson City has a population of 58,639 in 2020.

Four out of every 100,000 Douglas County residents died from an opioid overdose death in 2017. Opioid prescription rates were 91.1 per 100 people in 2017. Douglas County has a population of 49,488 in 2020.

In 2017, 14 out of every 100,000 Lyon County residents died from an opioid overdose. The opioid prescription rate was 129.9 per 100 people in 2017. Lyon County has a population of 59,207 in 2020.

In 2017, no Storey County residents were reported as dying from an opioid overdose even though its opioid prescription rate was 146.9 per 100 people. Storey County has a population of 4,265 in 2020.

Four out of every 100,000 Churchill County residents died from an opioid overdose in 2017. That same year, the opioid prescription rate was 98 per 100 people. Churchill County has a population of 25,516 in 2020.

Rural Nevada Behavioral Region – Humboldt County, Pershing County, Lander County, Eureka County, White Pine County and Elko County

The Rural Nevada Behavioral Region, including the counties of Humboldt, Pershing, Lander, Eureka, White Pine and Elko, along with litigating cities Ely and West Wendover, will receive approximately $1,386,257.91 as a result of the settlements.

Seven people died from unintentional opioid overdose in the Rural Nevada behavioral district in 2020.This was a 250% increase from 2019, in which two people died from unintentional opioid overdose.

In 2017, the opioid overdose death rate in Humboldt County was two per 100,000 residents. That same year, the opioid prescription rate was 66.7 per 100 people. The population of Humboldt County was 16,831 in 2019..

Pershing County’s opioid prescription rate was 69.4 per 100 people in 2017. The opioid overdose death rate was one per 100,000 residents in Pershing County in 2017. The population of Pershing County was 6,615 in 2019.

Lander County’s prescription rate was 76.7 per 100 people in 2017. The population of Lander County was 5,643 in 2019.

Eureka County’s prescription rate 85.6 per 100 people in 2017. Eureka County’s population was 2,029 in 2019.

The prescription rate in White Pine County was 99.9 per 100 people in 2017.The opioid overdose death rate was three per 100,000 residents that same year. White Pine County’s population was 9,679 in 2019.

In 2017, Elko County’s prescription rate was 63.3 per 100 people. That same year, its opioid overdose death rate was three per 100,000 residents. Elko County’s population was 52,778 in 2019.

Southern Nevada Behavioral Region – Mineral County, Esmeralda County, Nye County and Lincoln County

The Southern Nevada Behavioral Region, including the counties of Mineral, Esmeralda, Nye, and Lincoln, will receive approximately $853,880.51 as a result of the settlements.

In 2020, approximately 20 people died from unintentional opioid overdoses in the Southern Nevada behavioral region. This was a 122.2%increase from 2019, in which nine people died from unintentional opioid overdoses.

Mineral County’s prescription rate in 2017 was 158.1 per 100 people. The population of Mineral County was 4,460 in 2019.

Esmeralda County’s prescription rate was 57.0 per 100 people in 2017.  The estimated population of Esmeralda County was 969 in 2019.

Nye County’s prescription rate in 2017 was 155.6 per 100 people. That same year the opioid overdose death rate was eight out of 100,000 Nye County residents. The population of Nye County was 46,523 in 2019.

Lincoln County’s prescription rate was 84.6 per 100 people in 2017. The population of Lincoln County was 5,180 in 2019.

In 2021, Governor Steve Sisolak signed Senate Bill 390 (SB 390) into law. This legislation created the Nevada Resilient Fund, which directs State recoveries to fund evidence-based programs through the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services. SB 390 requires the state to create a State Needs Assessment which identifies the critical needs for attacking the impacts and effects of opioids statewide, and a State Plan for funding the needs assessment. SB 390 also creates a mechanism for the state, counties and cities to work together in developing county needs assessments and county plans that parallel the State Needs Assessment and State Plan to bring expertise to all areas of the state and maximize the use of all funds available to combat the opioids epidemic through programs and services. The State Needs Assessment is expected to be released at the end of April 2022.

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