Newtown's Opioid Settlement Controversy

Newtown Township faced a tight 18-month deadline to obligate approximately $133,000 in opioid settlement funds (which grew to the final $167,240.04 disbursement in September 2026). Ultimately, the Board of Supervisors voted on June 24, 2026, to approve a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to transfer these funds to Bucks County, because the township lacked the healthcare infrastructure to run drug rehabilitation and treatment programs locally. In exchange, the county committed to supporting the continuation of its co-responder program, which embeds social workers within the local police force to handle emergency substance abuse and mental health calls.