Certain Districts Can Apply For Grants for Opioid Epidemic Response
-
Date PostedFebruary 2, 2026
-
CategoryNews
Illinois school districts with enrollments of more than 5,000, in addition to those districts that have already filed an opioid-related lawsuit or filed a creditor claim in Purdue Pharma LP’s bankruptcy, will be able to apply for grant funds from the settlement of a class action lawsuit brought against members of the Sackler family.
This is the second round of grant funding that has become available from the Public School Districts’ Opioid Recovery Trust, which “aims to help public school districts recover from the opioid epidemic and develop responses to enhance educating students harmed by the opioid epidemic.”
These grant funds can be used by schools, selected based on need, for classroom services, school-based behavioral and mental health supports, instructional innovations, or other district and school-based supports that directly affect students harmed by the opioid epidemic. The Trust indicates funding may be used not only for school programs but also to assist in educational supports for students born with neonatal opioid withdrawal symptoms and students who have suffered traumatic family loss and educational interruptions because of the opioid epidemic.
No application deadline for grant proposals has been set yet, but districts can monitor the Sackler School District Opioid Settlement webpage for updates.
This is the second round of grant funding that has become available from the Public School Districts’ Opioid Recovery Trust, which “aims to help public school districts recover from the opioid epidemic and develop responses to enhance educating students harmed by the opioid epidemic.”
These grant funds can be used by schools, selected based on need, for classroom services, school-based behavioral and mental health supports, instructional innovations, or other district and school-based supports that directly affect students harmed by the opioid epidemic. The Trust indicates funding may be used not only for school programs but also to assist in educational supports for students born with neonatal opioid withdrawal symptoms and students who have suffered traumatic family loss and educational interruptions because of the opioid epidemic.
No application deadline for grant proposals has been set yet, but districts can monitor the Sackler School District Opioid Settlement webpage for updates.