Ocean County will receive more than $15 million in annual settlement payouts over 18 years, from New Jersey’s $641 million share of nationwide opioid litigation brought against opioid distributors and manufacturers.

The Ocean County Opioid Advisory Council was empaneled by the Ocean County Board of Commissioners last year to direct and oversee the distribution of the funds, which must be spent to abate and remediate impacts of the opioid epidemic.