Cape May County
Cape May County has received 2,675,838.31 in opioid settlement money, has spent 1,278.00 of it on advertisements and food trays, and told the State in two years that it held more money than it had ever received.
Published 10/03/2026
TLDR
- Cape May County has received 2,675,838.31 in opioid settlement money since 2022.
- In four years it has reported spending 1,278.00. That paid for newspaper advertisements and food trays for a focus group.
- No program has been funded. The FY2026 report says the County decided to delay funding any programs.
- The FY2024 report says the County held 1,930,926.27. It had received 1,617,219.31 and spent nothing.
- The FY2025 report says the County held 2,604,966.56. It had received 2,248,171.54.
- The FY2026 report then puts the balance 358,073.02 lower, with nothing spent.
- The County has not produced a ledger of its settlement account.
Almost none of it has been spent. The reports cannot agree on how much is left.
Summary
Cape May County reported receiving 2,675,838.31 in opioid settlement money through 06/30/2026. The money must go to the abatement uses the national settlements list, or to documented evidence-based programs that address the epidemic. It must add to local spending, not replace it.
The County has not produced a ledger of its settlement account. The only records on file are its four reports to the State Department of Human Services. Every figure below is the County's own. None of it can be checked against the books. Read the County's findings.
What the County received
| Fiscal year | Received in the year | Received to date, as certified |
|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 540,002.97 | 540,002.97 |
| FY2024 | 1,077,216.34 | 1,617,219.31 |
| FY2025 | 630,952.23 | 2,248,171.54 |
| FY2026 | 427,666.77 | 2,675,838.31 |
Each year's figure adds to the one before to the cent. The County certifies 0.00 of interest in every year.
What it spent
The County certifies 0.00 expended in FY2023, FY2024 and FY2026. In FY2025 it certifies 1,278.00, all of it administrative. The report itemizes it as 185.00 for an advertisement in the Shoppe, 848.00 for advertisements in the Cape May County Herald, and 245.00 for food trays at a family member focus group. The three items sum to 1,278.00. All of it went to the County's 2024 public input process.
The FY2024, FY2025 and FY2026 reports each answer "No" to whether the County funded any program. The FY2026 report says the County ran an active drug user survey. It says the County then decided to delay funding any programs until it can assess changes to Medicaid.
What it told the State about the balance
Each report asks how much unspent and uncommitted money the County has on hand.
| Fiscal year | Certified on hand | Received to date less spent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | 1,930,926.27 | 1,617,219.31 | 313,706.96 |
| FY2025 | 2,604,966.56 | 2,246,893.54 | 358,073.02 |
| FY2026 | 2,674,560.31 | 2,674,560.31 | 0.00 |
In FY2024 the County reported holding 313,706.96 more than it had ever received. It had spent nothing and reported no interest. FY2024 on-hand figure exceeds all money ever received.
In FY2025 the gap grew to 358,073.02. The FY2026 report then drops the balance by the same 358,073.02 in a year with no spending. Carrying the FY2025 balance forward with the FY2026 receipts gives 3,032,633.33. The County certified 2,674,560.31. The two reports cannot both be right. FY2025 on-hand figure exceeds all money ever received.
What the reports say about how decisions are made
The FY2023 report says the County has no strategic plan and has not developed its goals. It also names a strategic plan as part of its rationale for using the money. FY2023 report cites a strategic plan it says it lacks.
Every report since says the County has no strategic plan and no risk assessment, and plans to develop both.
The FY2026 report dates the active drug user survey to the fall of 2026 in one answer and the fall of 2025 in the next. FY2026 report dates one survey to two different years.
What the records show
The record is four reports. The County has not produced a ledger, so this project cannot say where the 2,675,838.31 is held, whether any payment left the account, or which on-hand figure is right. A ledger of the settlement account is owed. This page will be updated when one is produced.