Biddeford officials cleared a homeless encampment in Mechanics Park this summer. Many of those affected by the opioid crisis struggle with chronic homelessness. Shawn Patrick Ouellette / Portland Press Herald

The Biddeford City Council unanimously approved an Opioid Settlement Fund strategic plan last week.

According to city documents, the purpose of the plan is to enhance recovery support services, reduce opioid-related harm in Biddeford, promote long-term recovery, and educate and prevent the use of opioids.

Maine stands to receive at least $235 million over the next two decades in national settlement funds from companies accused of supercharging the opioid epidemic. Biddeford will receive approximately $100,000 of funding this year.

The plan takes the settlement funds distributed to Biddeford and puts the money into action, General Assistance Administrator Jake Hammer said.

“Everything costs money,” Hammer said. “With this kind of money, we can get people into a wider variety of treatment supports and recovery residences.”

As part of the plan, the city aims to support at least 50 individuals annually through various services, including recovery treatment.

With an allocated fund of $100,000 annually, each of the 50 individuals will receive approximately $1,800 toward their recovery.

Some councilors asked last week if this amount is enough to make a difference. If a person is already in recovery, Hammer said, the funding could help them get to a place where they can find a job and become self-sustainable.

For individuals looking to get into a treatment program, the funding is enough to cover a month of treatment.

“It’s not a lot, but it’s a fighting chance,” Hammer said.

The funding is flexible, Hammer said, with the only goal to help those affected by the opioid crisis, many of whom struggle with homelessness. Funds could be used for something as simple as fixing a flat tire that would have prevented someone from getting to treatment.

“It’s all direct support,” Hammer said. “It’s all going toward people’s needs to get in recovery, to sustain recovery, and to progress through recovery.”

Council President Liam LaFountain was instrumental in getting the plan on the table, but many members of the recovery community have been advocating for the plan for years.

The funds are derived from “Big Pharma,” LaFountain said, including companies like Purdue, Walmart, CVS and Walgreens, who played a role in the opioid epidemic.

“They put profits above people,” LaFountain said. “To be able to now use these funds to support folks who were abused because of these organizations is a really powerful statement that we, as a city, can make.”

The City Council will be required to vote on a new Opioid Settlement Fund plan every two years. The current plan will expire in November 2026.