Olmsted County Rolls Out Plans for Spending Opioid Settlement, American Rescue Plan Dollars
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- The Olmsted County Board of Commissioners have approved plans for spending two major windfalls the county has received.
The board set the course for spending the money during their meeting on Tuesday. The influx of dollars comes from the county’s portion of a Minnesota’s settlement with opioid manufacturers and funding allocated to local governments through the American Rescue Plan Act, which became federal law in the spring of 2021.
A news release issued Wednesday morning says county commissioners approved to use funding from the opioid settlement toward short-term strategies to stem the opioid epidemic that includes plans to disperse more naloxone, which is used to revive people experiencing an opioid-induced overdose, harm reduction, recovery programs and prevention. The county also plans to use the money to add three new employees to its Community Corrections Diversity and Equity Community Outreach Team (DECO), who will respond to drug-related calls similar to the manner the team handles mental health calls.
We look forward to expanding the efforts of our DECO team as part of Olmsted County’s commitment to addressing substance use in our community said DECO Program Manager Sidney Frye. Through greater outreach and education, our DECO team will work to raise awareness, promote understanding, and empower individuals and communities to take action.
Olmsted County Public Health Services also plans to use settlement money to develop long-term solutions to the opioid crisis and plans to release those strategies at a later time. The County is set to receive $1.3 million from the settlement by the end of the year and is scheduled to be paid out a total of $7.2 million over the next 18 years.
County Commissioners also approved plans to spend $11.3 million allocated to the county through the American Rescue Plan Act. That money will go towards:
- Development of affordable home ownership programs - $4.9 million.
- Groundwater protection and soil health program - $2 million.
- Development of Graham Park exhibition center - $4.4 million.
The Board of Commissioners agreed that ARPA funds should be used to create a legacy that will have an impact on future generations, said Olmsted County Board of Commissioners Chair Gregg Wright. The use of these funds to protect our groundwater and soil health is an example of creating a legacy that will have a great impact on the future of environmental sustainability. Increasing housing stock and making improvements to Graham Park are further actions that will impact and enhance the future quality of life for Olmsted County.
The county has until the end of 2026 to spend money allocated to it from the American Rescue Plan Act.
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