By Olena Nicks
Since 2019, Nassau County has had an Opioid Crisis Action Plan at its disposal. Yet, it has sat on a bookshelf, collecting dust as the opioid crisis rages onward and over $90 million remains stagnant in county coffers. It’s time to dramatically change that trajectory.
The Task Force was co-chaired by Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder and former Legislator Siela Bynoe, who now serves in the New York State Senate. The multidisciplinary task force included a team of outstanding medical professionals, public health experts, educators and recovery advocates. The plan put forth a roadmap for addressing needs in education, prevention and treatment of opioid use, and devising law enforcement and legislative solutions to reduce illegal opioid distribution and use.
Nassau County has over $100 million in proceeds from various settlements with opioid manufacturers, retailers and distributors. To date, Nassau County Executive Bruce A. Blakeman has gotten just 8.5% of those funds to agencies that provide prevention, treatment and recovery resources. This is even though the County launched a portal last spring to help distribute the funds and has retained Hagerty Consulting, Inc. to kickstart the delivery of funds.
Last February, the Legislature approved additional funding to Hagerty Consulting, Inc., the agency responsible for disseminating these funds, with the understanding that this firm is responsible for ensuring the timely and effective movement of the Opioid Litigation Settlement Fund dollars. However, as of February 3, over $91.5 million remains unexpended. Money sitting idle does not serve the individuals, families, and communities who are actively grappling with substance use disorder and its devastating consequences.
Consistent with its contract with Hagerty, the Legislature was advised that a detailed report on the status and deployment of these funds would be provided in June 2025 and December 2025. While a report was transmitted on June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2025, the information provided was limited in scope and did not offer the level of transparency or detail necessary for effective legislative oversight or accountability — particularly given the scale, urgency, and human impact of this crisis.
I am particularly concerned by delays in the delivery of funding to the Mary Brennan INN, one of the many organizations on the front lines of the opioid crisis. Their outstanding work could be greatly enhanced by county funding, and I applaud their ongoing commitment to providing meaningful, lifesaving assistance to our community.
As a volunteer firefighter, I am acutely aware that first responders like me are often the first people who are on the scene of an overdose. In that moment, our sole objective is to save lives — and those opioid funds are not doing anybody any bit of good if they’re just sitting in the bank. They’re worth more than their weight in gold if we invest them in tools we can use to respond to this emergency or prevent it from happening in the first place.
That is why, on January 30, I wrote to County Executive Blakeman to formally request a comprehensive follow-up regarding the county’s administration of the Opioid Litigation Settlement Fund.
Such a report must detail complete reporting of the Opioid Litigation Settlement Fund since 2022, all funding encumbered and actual amounts paid out to each organization, the amount of funding that has been fully expended, the amount currently encumbered (or promised) to agencies, including specific purposes and timelines, and the amount remaining unallocated.
The public must also have access to a detailed explanation of the role and actions taken by Hagerty Consulting, Inc., specific steps being undertaken to notify eligible agencies and service providers that this funding exists and is available, and a clear timeline for future disbursements and anticipated programmatic outcomes.
Our response to the opioid crisis demands diligence, urgency, and transparency. As legislators, we have a responsibility to ensure that these funds are not only accounted for, but actively deployed in a manner that maximizes their intended public benefit. Our residents, service providers, and community partners deserve clarity and action — not delay.
If you or someone you know is aware of a qualified agency that is well-positioned to apply for a grant through the opioid portal, please share this link — https://app.nassaucountyny.gov/ce/opioid/ — with them so that they can begin the process of applying. Should they require any assistance with doing so, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 516-571-6205 or onicks@nassaucountyny.gov.
Olena Nicks (D-Uniondale) was elected to the Nassau County Legislature in February 2025. She serves the communities of the Fifth Legislative District.