The public can now see how Kentucky is spending money from opioid settlements. Here’s how
Kentuckians are now able to see where and how any opioid abatement funds are being spent, thanks to an online dashboard launched by the Kentucky Attorney General’s office.
The dashboard, created in partnership with the University of Kentucky Rapid Actionable Data for Response, gives the public access for people to see how state and local governments spend money obtained through settlements with pharmaceutical companies.
“Across Kentucky, communities are investing in the three-legged stool of prevention, treatment and enforcement efforts to combat the drug crisis and to save lives. Now, every Kentuckian can see how these resources are being invested to promote best practices, innovative ideas and – above all – hope,” Attorney General Russell Coleman said.
The first deployment of opioid abatement money was awarded to Kentucky in 2022, as part of a $900 million settlement with opioid distributors designed to be spent over the course of several years to deal with the opioid addiction crisis. Between 2022 and 2038, Kentucky is expected to receive more than $1 billion in abatement funds.
Half of the money was given to the state, and the other half was distributed to local governments. The disbursement of the funds is overseen by the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, which operates through the attorney general’s office and consists of policymakers and individuals with lived experience.
Last summer, the state’s opioid abatement commission launched an online portal that was available to local governments to report how their money was being spent. Under Kentucky law, local governments must show how much money they receive, what is spent, and what the money is being used for.
But according to a report released last week by the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, 90% of awarded opioid funds haven’t actually been used.
As of June 2025, more than $94.5 million in opioid settlement funds were granted across Kentucky’s 120 counties, and another $28 million to 149 cities, according to the report released Tuesday by the Berea-based research and advocacy group.
The money is required to be spent on prevention through education, training and support for families, harm reduction, treatment and recovery support.
Their report also outlined “good spending” and “problematic spending” from local governments that had used a portion of their opioid abatement funds.
Many of the projects that were dubbed as “good spending” included community-based resources, and not programs that were police-led, according to the report.
However, “problematic spending” entries showed some funds were spent on unproven or ineffective purposes, or programs thought to cause additional harm.
This story was originally published July 7, 2026 at 2:12 PM.
