It works out that Delaware County opioid payments and payments for other counties in Pennsylvania run an average of $6.50 per resident, but the amount actually varies by county depending on need, writes Ed Mahon and Kate Giammarise of NPR station WESA.

Statewide, opioid funds distributed by county vary from a low of  $1.13 per resident in Centre County to a high of $23.23 in Cameron County.

Delaware County opioid payments totaled $6,046,298 in 2022, and it is expected to receive $3,906,392 in 2023.

It is also receiving extra payments to recognize its “substantial work to advance litigation,” according to Pennsylvania’s opioid agreement with drug companies.

Counties and local governments received a total of $86 million in 2022 and are scheduled to receive $56 million in the next round of payments.  

The money is for fighting an opioid epidemic that continues to kill thousands of Pennsylvanians each year.

“It never was intended to be distributed on a population basis,” said Tom VanKirk, the former chief legal officer for Highmark Health, who mediated opioid settlement fund discussions.

“It was intended to be distributed in a manner where the money went to those areas that were most severely impacted by the opioid crisis.”

Find out more details about opioid settlement money distribution at WHYY.