California’s Opioid Settlements

This Community Guide will describe how California is spending its opioid settlements and whether California is working to ensure community access to opioid settlement funds. Last revised September 1, 2024.

Total Funds

$4 billion[1]

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[1] Total is rounded. See The Official Opioid Settlement Tracker Tally. Accessed September 1, 2024.

Allocation

85% to local governments and 15% to the state

Mechanism

State-Local Agreements (Distributors, J&J, Teva, Allergan, Walgreens, Walmart, and CVS); Legislation (Cal. Gov't Code Sec. 12534); Other Agreements (California Mallinckrodt Statewide Abatement Agreement

	85% Local Share	15% State Share
Ultimate Decisionmaker	Local officials for cities and counties	California state legislature
Decision-making Process	Localities decide autonomously but must report expenditures to the California Department of Health Care Services.	The California state legislature determines and appropriates funds, and the California Department of Health Care Services oversees their administration and uses.
Supplantation	Not prohibited	Not prohibited
Grant Funding	Up to each locality (availability and processes will vary)	Yes. For live opportunities, see Opioid Settlement Tracker’s Community Grant Tracker.
Public Input	Generally, yes (public comment required at public meetings)	No opportunities available (not required)
Advisory Body	Up to each locality (not required)	No (not required)
Expenditures	Public reporting required. Local expenditures will be published on the California Department of Health Care Services’ Opioid Settlements website each year.	Public reporting required. Visit the California Department of Health Care Services’ Opioid Response State Funded Projects and Current Projects pages.
Updates	For updates on the local share, visit the Department of Health Care Services’ California's Opioid Settlements website, including its City and County Projects page, and subscribe to DHCS’s regular newsletter here. Another good starting point is to check the website for your county board of supervisors, city council, or local health department.	For updates on the state share, visit the Department of Health Care Services’ California's Opioid Settlements website, including its State Funded Projects page, and sign up for updates on DHCS’s opioid response efforts here.