The Yellowstone County panel distributes the opioid settlement money

BILLING – Over the next 18 years, Montana will receive $78 million from a $26 billion national opioid settlement, and the Yellowstone County Metropolitan Region Committee met again Thursday to vote on which organizations will advance for receive funding from the reduction trust.

“I really hope that with this money, we can make a significant impact in helping people who have struggled with addiction, recover from it, but also have a significant amount of the money go towards preventing people from becoming addicted to these substances in the first place,” Eric Owen, the committee’s chairman, said Thursday. “As a committee, we vote on which of the proposals we would like to fund. After that, we sit down with the organization and discuss what the budget for the project would be.”

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Last month, the committee heard proposals from 11 different organizations hoping to get funding. During Thursday’s meeting, the committee voted on which organizations they believe should move forward for funding consideration. Six organizations were chosen, including Step, Inc., a Billings nonprofit that expanded its offerings to include sober homes in 2019.

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“We want to expand our program for women and children,” said Step Executive Director Tara Williamson. “I just hope I can help people live better and have an impact on the devastation that can result from substance use.”

Williamson knows firsthand how much someone goes through when battling addiction.

“I personally have a substance use disorder. I’ve been in recovery for 25 years,” Williamson said. “My birth mother was in prison for much of my childhood. She was addicted to meth, so I know firsthand what it’s like to have a father who is struggling with addiction. And then I know how is recovering from addiction myself.”

Andrea Beer experienced what no mother should have to go through. After 10 years of battling addiction, her son John died of a fentanyl overdose nearly three years ago.

Andrea Cervesa

“My son He took half a pill. He died with half a pill,” Beer said. “I found my son. I did CPR.”

In the first year, Yellowstone County will have more than $1.4 million to allocate. In the second and third years respectively, the county will have $986,000.

“If we have more resources available, we’re going to save people,” Beer said. “If you’re struggling, reach out to someone because we need to get rid of the stigma of addiction.”

Jennifer Benjamin

Jennifer Benjamin has a similar story.

“I lost my 26-year-old son to fentanyl addiction. It’s hard for us not to see a lot of change in the three years since he died that there’s not a lot of prevention and education,” Benjamin said. “It gives me some hope for our community that they are looking at the opioid crisis and want to do something about it.”

Another meeting will be held next month when the commission will decide what funding is given to each organization.