State of Florida creates office of opioid recovery to combat growing crisis

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday announced an expansion of opioid treatment and recovery services, using more than $205 million coming to the state from legal settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors.

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During an appearance with First Lady Casey DeSantis at the Shoreline Church in Destin, the governor said $10.2 million will go to a new Office of Opioid Recovery at the Department of Children and Families. The office will include researchers and epidemiologists, who are expected to identify ways to help Floridians in recovery, according to a news release from the governor’s office.

Other spending includes $92.5 million to improve access to treatment and recovery services, $39.4 million to develop educational prevention materials and $25.3 million to expand recovery and peer-support services.

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Natalie Kelly, chief executive officer of the Florida Association of Managing Entities, praised the moves.

“Fentanyl is claiming countless lives in Florida, and I applaud Governor DeSantis and First Lady DeSantis for directing opioid settlement agreement funds to creating an Office of Opioid Recovery,” Kelly said in a prepared statement. “They’re also allocating these funds to improve access to treatment and recovery, expanding peer support, and more.”

Kelly’s group represents the state’s seven managing entities, which work with more than 300 behavioral health-care providers.

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