(KNSI) – Wright County released an executive summary on Wednesday regarding how it intends to spend over $3 million it will receive as part of the class action opioid settlement negotiated by the state.
After a public input process, it has been determined 34% should be spent on treatment and recovery programs, including ensuring access to housing, job training, and peer support initiatives. Another 30% would go to preventing drug use and public education efforts.
Wright County survey respondents were asked to select how much of the settlement should be spent on four separate categories. Then they were given between four and six programs in each category to rank in importance. The bottom two categories involved 19% of funds earmarked for criminal justice, including jail-based addiction treatment, and 17% for harm reduction, such as increased availability of naloxone.
KNSI News reached out to nearby counties to see where each was at in their process. Stearns County Administrator Mike Williams says officials have been speaking with community stakeholders and made a presentation to the Board of Commissioners earlier this week.
Stearns County will next address remediation activities. Williams emails that the issue is primarily affecting people aged 15-24 and may be hurting certain demographics and communities more than others. He says more study is needed and the results will guide county officials in what they recommend to the Board as far as a course of action.
Benton County Administrator Montgomery Headley says the Public Health Department is very early in crafting a plan for its funds. He says the direction they go in will partially be the result of county representatives and community input. The settlement agreement itself determines a broad framework for how the money can be spent.
Sherburne County Administrator Bruce Messelt says funds will be used to augment and bolster existing programs. One example is a push to have social services personnel respond to incidents with law enforcement personnel at the municipal and county level.
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