Mississippi opens applications for 2026 opioid settlement grants

Applications for Mississippi’s 2026 opioid settlement grant cycle opened Aug. 31 and will be accepted through Oct. 5, 2026, the Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Council under Attorney General Lynn Fitch said.

The council said it was created in 2025 after suits filed by Fitch’s office in 2024 led to settlements that will total about $400 million. The council advises on how those funds are allocated to people affected by opioid addiction, the attorney general’s office said.

The council negotiates settlements with manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, retail pharmacies and marketers, the office said, naming Cardinal Health, McKesson, AmerisourceBergen and Johnson & Johnson among those involved.

Applications are available on the attorney general’s website and on a new grant portal that provides eligibility criteria, application instructions, post-award requirements and a timeline, the office said. “There are so many great organizations across Mississippi doing innovative and exciting things to help our State recover from the harm the opioid epidemic caused,” Fitch said. “We have brought hundreds of millions of dollars to Mississippi, and we encourage any organizations with programs or services that might be eligible to review these updated resources and learn more about how to apply and help Mississippi heal.”

Fitch’s office said it has contracted with The Steadman Group and NiVACK Group to help administer the grant program and provide technical assistance. The office said two webinars for applicants are scheduled for Sept. 15 at 2 p.m. and Sept. 23 at 1 p.m.

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