Opioid Settlement

Opioid Settlement Background Information

On August 20, 2021, The Attorney General’s Office joined historic $26 billion multistate settlement agreements with pharmaceutical distributors McKesson, Cardinal Health, and AmerisourceBergen, and opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson. This will bring more than $300 million to Counties and Cities across Minnesota. Chisago County's estimated distribution of the settlement is approximately $2.2 million. More information can be found on The Office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s website Fighting the Opioid Epidemic in Minnesota. 

Chisago County is committed to reducing the negative impacts associated with opioid use disorders by convening key sectors on an Advisory Council. The Opioid Settlement Advisory Council will guide the spending of National Opioid Settlement dollars to save lives and prevent further harm within the community.

According to the Minnesota Opioids State-Subdivision Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), the Public Health departments shall serve as the lead agency and Chief Strategist to identify, collaborate, and respond to local issues as Local Governments decide how to leverage and disburse Opioid Settlement Funds. In their role as Chief Strategist, public health departments will. 

• Convene multi-sector meetings.
• Lead efforts that build upon local efforts like Community Health Assessments and Community Health Improvement Plans
• Foster community focused and collaborative evidence-informed approaches that prevent and address addiction across the areas of public health, human services, and public safety. 
• Consult with municipalities located within their county in the development of any Community Health Assessment
• Collaborate with law enforcement agencies in the county where appropriate.

Opioid Settlement Advisory Council 

The Council serves to advise the Chisago County Board of Commissioners as to how to most effectively, efficiently, and equitably spend the Opioid Settlement funds awarded. Informed by the MOA, the Council will both recommend the standards by which funds are spent as well as specific projects to be funded via a Request for Proposals (RFP) process. Additional guidance is provided by the Minnesota Department of Health.

Ideal candidates to serve on the Opioid Settlement Advisory Council will: 

• Be open to learning and promoting best practices in opioid treatment, recovery, and prevention in accordance with the MOA. 
• Be champions of the work needing to be done and have time to commit to council meetings, action planning, and implementations. 
• Help make decisions that guide how funding should be spent. 
• Have a basic understanding of the current work and data trends. 
• Be willing to commit to two years on the council. 
• Ideal sectors to be represented:
  • Legal Professional
  • Law Enforcement & Corrections
  • Public Health & Human Services
  • Treatment & Recovery (individual in recovery or recovery professional)
  • Board of Commissioners & Local Municipality (city or township)
  • Primary Care, Addiction Medicine, Mental Health 
  • Community of color and other communities affected by historical patterns of discrimination, such as Indigenous and LGBTQ+
  • Education
  • Community Member At Large (one per Commissioner district)
  • Veteran Services
  • Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
  • Family (parents/spouses of addicts
  • Other 

To be considered for the Advisory Council, complete the Chisago County Opioid Settlement Advisory Council Application (Online) by May 12th, 2023. Selections will be made and emailed out to council members by May 19th, 2023. 

At this time all applicants have been notified via email of their council membership status. We appreciate everyone's applications and dedication to this council.  

For questions, please contact Chisago County Public Health by calling 651-213-5233