Opioid Remediation Settlement Advisory Committee

 
 
St. Louis County stands to receive approximately $18 million over the next 18 years as a result of national class action lawsuits against manufactures and distributors of pharmaceutical opioids. The settlement isn’t meant to compensate individuals who have suffered opioid-related harm; it’s meant to provide funding to state, local, and tribal governments to implement forward-looking programs regarding the epidemic.
 

For those seeking treatment or help from a Substance Use Disorder, find information though St. Louis County’s Adult Services -Substance Use and Recovery.

For more information on Public Health Education regarding Substance Use Prevention, find information through St. Louis County’s Community Health & Education.

To see local community health data on drug overdoses, see the Drug Overdose Data and Resources in St. Louis County, MN webpage.

 

 

St. Louis County's Response: A blueprint of our process

St. Louis County has assembled a "blueprint" to how the county has worked to effectively and transparently use opioid settlement funds. This aims to be a resource for citizens and other jurisdictions.  

St. Louis County Opioid Remediation Settlement Funds Blueprint

This blueprint contains a description of process used, as well as resources including SLC's Community Health Survey, RFP, Scorecard, and more.

Opioid Remediation Settlement Advisory Committee membership

Current Committee Membership

County Commissioners

Ashley Grimm, District 3

Patrick Boyle, District 1

Paul McDonald, District 4

Public Health and Human Services (PHHS) Staff

Linnea Mirsch, PHHS Director

Jana Blomberg, Community Health Program Coordinator

Sheriff’s Office Staff

Gordon Ramsay, St. Louis County Sheriff

Attorney’s Office Staff

Kim Maki, St. Louis County Attorney

Community Members

Greg Anderson, (retired) SLC PHHS

Katie Bauman, Essentia Health

Laura Bennett, Community Health Board

Joseph Bianco, Essentia Health

Elizabeth Bilden, Essentia Health

Heather Blue, University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy

Pat Conway, Essentia Institute of Rural Health

Melissa Dybvig, St. Luke's

Beth Elstad, formerly Recovery Alliance Duluth

Jennifer Garbow, University of MN Extension

Brandon Hankey, St. Luke’s

Bryan Johnson, Twelfth Step House

Sherry Johnson, St. Luke’s

Danielle Jones, Fairview Mesaba Clinics

Branden Mattson, Partners In Recovery

Jessica McCarthy-Nickila, Duluth Police Department

Jeff Polcher, Rural AIDS Action Network

Lisa Prusak, Essentia Health/Duluth Family Medicine Clinic

Susan Purchase, Harm Reduction Sisters

Allison Vanneste, SLC PHHS

Verne Wagner, NarAnon

Meeting agendas and minutes can be found at the bottom of this page.

 

 

 

Currently Funded Projects

March 2023- February 2024 Funded Projects

Rural Aids Action Network  

Service Region: North / County-Wide 

RFP Priority: Harm Reduction  

Project Highlights:  

  • Hire a position to be focused on northern, rural parts of St. Louis County 

  • New position responsibilities include naloxone and fentanyl test strips distribution, naloxone training, fentanyl test strips training, connecting to resources, outreach events, HIV/Hep C testing, and some administrative support  

    

Recovery Alliance Duluth  

Service Region: County-Wide 

RFP Priority: Harm Reduction  

Project Highlights:  

  • Add 1.5 Peer Support Specialists to be able to serve both north and south St. Louis County  

  • Expand services – further their reach and services they are able to provide  

  • Identify where barriers are and find ways to address them with community partners  

   

Housing for Inmates  

Service Region: Duluth / South St. Louis County 

RFP Priority: Harm Reduction  

Project Highlights:  

  • Provide housing in Duluth for formerly incarcerated individuals  

  • Prioritize community partnerships for best wrap-around care  

  • Provide harm reduction resources and reduce barriers to entering/finding stable housing  

  • Offer Health Realization programming    

 

CHUM  

Service Region: Duluth / South St. Louis County 

RFP Priority: Harm Reduction  

Project Highlights:  

  • Expand street outreach by hiring 1 new Peer Support Specialist (RAD) & 1 street outreach specialist (positions seen as permanent and will be maintained in the future by leveraging current private and public partners)  

  • Develop Stepping On Up Authorized Outdoor Living Zones (in place April-October)  

 

United Way  

Service Region: Schools / North St. Louis County 

RFP Priority: Enriched Broad Prevention – Youth Focused  

Project Highlights:  

  • Expand Lunch Buddies Mentoring Program – a trauma-informed youth program that matches local elementary school aged youth in need of additional positive adult role models   

  • Anticipated short-term impacts: improve school attendance, mood, and self-esteem for children in the program  

  

Wellbeing Development  

Service Region: Ely / North St. Louis County 

RFP Priority: Harm Reduction  

Project Highlights:  

  • Proposal includes expanding harm reduction programs through use of evidence-informed, person-centered behavioral health approaches that include a recovery residence with co-located support services  

 

YWCA Duluth  

Service Region: Duluth / South St. Louis County 

RFP Priority: Broad based prevention and Harm Reduction  

Project Highlights:  

  • Provide transitional housing to young moms   

  • Naloxone distribution to clients, staff, and community 

  • Offer peer recovery supports through Health Realization programming  

Media/Outreach

Service Region: County-wide

RFP Priority: Enriched Broad Prevention – Stigma Reduction, Youth Focused, Harm Reduction

Project Highlights:

  • St. Louis County PHHS Department and Sheriff’s Office (SLC), Community Health Board (CHB), and MN Extension led communication plan with goals of reducing stigma, educating and supporting youth, and reducing harm

Municipality Meetings

The Memorandum of Agreement from the Minnesota Attorney General's Office requires an annual meeting between county governments and the municipalities that share the same boundaries. Within St. Louis County, the cities of Duluth and Proctor also receive settlement funds.

 

Meeting agendas and minutes can be found at the bottom of this page.



MEETING AGENDAS, MINUTES, AND RELEVANT DOCUMENTS