New York’s Opioid Settlement Funds: Lessons Learned and Recommendations After the First 3 Years

Since 2000, more than 70,000 New Yorkers have died of an overdose, with 6,330 deaths in 2023 alone. State investments in harm reduction, naloxone access, and medications for opioid use disorder helped reduce overdose deaths by 32% between 2023 and 2024. However, the crisis remains especially severe among Black and Native New Yorkers.

As New York faces steep cuts to Medicaid and other federally funded programs, millions risk losing access to substance-use care and overdose prevention services. New York State’s opioid settlement funds — which amount to over $3 billion — are critical, and present an opportunity to provide services and prevent deaths where the need is greatest.

Our new report examines the current state of New York’s overdose crisis and details how opioid settlement funds have been managed and distributed during their first three years. Explore our interactive maps below to see the approximate location and dollar amount of each funding award.

Through analyses of publicly available data and testimony, this report makes the following recommendations for how the state can ensure future spending reaches communities where the overdose crisis is most severe:

• Establish a measurable, data-informed statewide plan to reduce overdose death rates, with a focus on communities hardest hit by the crisis.

• Invest in community-based services that focus on overall well-being.

• Expand programs that are designed to serve communities at highest risk of overdose death. This includes Black and Brown, rural, and other underserved communities.

• Report regularly and accurately on where and how funds are spent and which communities are served.

• Train and support community-based workers with lived experience.

• Support small, community-based organizations to apply for funding.

• Provide a virtual testimony option at Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board meetings.

New York State needs a clear and measurable plan to reduce overdose deaths, especially for communities most impacted by the overdose crisis. We hope this report can be a resource for legislators, state agencies, and community members as they push for better and fairer solutions to the overdose crisis statewide.

Read our report: New York’s Opioid Settlement Funds Lessons Learned and Recommendations After the First 3 Years

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Report Maps

The maps below show the approximate location and dollar amount of each funding award reported on the OASAS Opioid Settlement Fund Tracker. Of 192 funding awards reported as of February 2025, 184 are represented on the maps and eight are detailed separately from the map. Each pin represents an organization’s address, which may differ from where services are provided (e.g., services may be mobile). Pin sizes indicate funding amounts, starting at $9,500 and increasing into the millions. These maps only include funding awarded by the state and do not include funding awarded by counties.