More than 50 organizations backed the request. New Jersey and its local governments are due more than $1.1 billion through 2038, with about half allocated to counties and municipalities.
TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition and more than 50 organizations asked the state Department of Human Services on Nov. 3 to hold a public hearing on how counties and towns spend opioid settlement money. The request follows an October petition from the coalition seeking tighter state oversight of local spending.
The coalition asked Human Services Commissioner Stephen Cha to preside over a hearing where people in recovery, families who have lost relatives and service providers could weigh in. It enclosed about 100 individual requests and argued that the public interest met the department’s threshold for a hearing. For a proposed rule, the department’s rules set thresholds of 50 or 100 people, depending on the office involved. The coalition also asked Cha to hold a hearing at his discretion if the department determines that a hearing is not required at the petition stage.
Who decides how to spend the money
The settlements resolve claims against opioid manufacturers, distributors and retailers. The New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller says the state and its local governments are due more than $1.1 billion through 2038 from settlements already reached. About half goes to the state and the other half goes to 262 participating local governments, including all 21 counties. Local governments make their own spending decisions within the terms of the settlements and must report annually to Human Services.
The comptroller found in July 2025 that Irvington spent more than $632,000 in settlement funds on two opioid awareness concerts without showing that the events met spending requirements. Irvington’s business administrator told investigators that the idea drew on earlier drug-awareness concerts and that music could attract people to hear about the opioid crisis. The comptroller found little evidence of meaningful outreach and recommended that the township repay the fund.
The state’s opioid settlement advisory council issued a five-year strategic plan in June 2025 that identified housing, harm reduction, treatment and coordinated support services as its main investment areas. At an Oct. 22 Assembly oversight hearing, advocates pressed lawmakers for stronger spending safeguards. The committee took testimony and did not vote on the proposal under discussion.
What Morris County and Morristown reported
Morris County reported receiving $975,914 and spending $418,007 in the fiscal year that ended June 30. The county reported about $3.98 million in unspent, uncommitted funds on hand from all reporting years. Its report describes programs that include mentoring for children affected by opioid use disorder and services to connect people with treatment and recovery support. County commissioners give final approval to spending recommendations.
Morristown filed a separate report showing it spent $100,000 that fiscal year to support a residential treatment and recovery program for women. The town reported that the treatment center later closed due to funding problems and that the town was unable to track the grant’s impact. The town also reported that it had yet to seek public input before deciding how to spend the money and planned to do so in the future.
Morris Township reported that it transferred all its settlement funds to the county. The township reported receiving $150,256 since distributions began in 2022. The state publishes these local submissions alongside its own spending report.