Fort Wayne, Indiana – Nate Moellering has been in addiction recovery since 2017.
He now works at the same recovery facility that once helped him.
“We want every single member of society that comes through here to be a happy, healthy, productive member of our society,” according to him.
Amerihealth reports that over one million Americans have died as a result of drug overdoses since 1999.
Moellering hopes Purdue Pharma’s settlement will benefit those in active treatment, including his own workplace.
“What we’re really hoping for is that the money can be reinvested into evidence-based programs,” he told me. “Things like sober living homes, which is also transitional living.”
Although he remains hopeful, he understands that the money given can only go so far.
“Indiana is getting about a hundred million of that spread out over 15 years, which, on face value, sounds like a lot, but it’s only about 6.6 million a year, and we have, you know, between six and seven million residents in Indiana,” he told me.
Despite his limited resources, Moellering remains grateful.
“A hundred million over fifteen years is quite a small trickle, but every dollar counts,” according to him.
He hopes to see a continuous downward trend.
“Luckily, overdoses have been down in Allen County, at least from the perspective of fatal overdoses.”
Since the settlement was passed, there has been debate over whether the funds are sufficient to assist the victims.
“I’m not sure what kind of apology would suffice in this case… you know, loss of life can never be made up. “Certainly not through finances,” Moellering stated.
