Attention Community Partners: Round 4 Funding is Now Open!
Southwest Health and Human Services (SWHHS) is accepting applications from organizations in Lyon, Pipestone, Redwood, and Rock counties for the fourth round of Opioid Settlement Fund grants. We are looking for impactful projects that help our communities heal and build resilience.
Key Dates:
- Application Window: March 1-April 10
- Anticipated Grant Start Date: June 1
What we're looking for: While all eligible projects are encouraged to apply, this round will prioritize initiatives that focus on:
- Youth Prevention: Keeping our younger generations safe and informed.
- Community Awareness: Reducing stigma and increasing education across our region.
Application documents:
Round 4 Application Under $1500
Round 4 Application Over $1500
On August 20, 2021, the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office joined the historic $26 billion multi-state settlement agreements with pharmaceutical distributors McKesson, Cardinal Health, and AmerisourceBergen, and opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson. This settlement will bring more than $300 million to Minnesota counties and cities with an anticipated spending start date of August 1, 2022.
- For more detailed background on the multi-district litigation (MDL), visit the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office – Fighting the Opioid Epidemic
- Minnesota opioid related data can be found on Minnesota Department of Health’s opioid dashboard.The dashboard contains detailed information on overdose deaths, opioid-related hospital visits, the number of opioid prescriptions dispensed, the prevalence of substance use disorder, and more.
- 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.
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health – endorsed by nearly 50 major organizations - created the Guiding Principles to ensure proper spending of opioid litigation funds;
- Principle 1- Spend the money to save lives.
- Principle 2- Use evidence to guide spending.
- Principle 3- Invest in youth prevention.
- Principle 4- Focus on racial equity.
- Principle 5- Develop a fair and transparent process for deciding where to spend the funding.
- Download Opioid Principles PDF
