$2.7 million in grants to address opiate epidemic

A new law will help $2.7 million get to work fighting the state’s opioid epidemic.

Sponsored by Rep. Erin Koegel (DFL-Spring Lake Park) and Sen. Mark Koran (R-North Branch), the law will make one-time grant funding from the state’s opiate epidemic response account – created in 2019’s opioids law – available for fiscal year 2021.

It is effective May 28, 2020.

Funded by registration fees on opiate manufacturers and license fees on drug manufacturers and wholesalers, the grants are meant to be determined by the Opiate Epidemic Response Advisory Council.

But, because of the immediacy of the need and timing constraints, the council wants this initial round of grant funding to go through the Legislature to organizations that have already received approval from the Department of Human Services and are doing work throughout the state.

This is expected to be the only time that the council will request direct appropriations to be handled in this way, and is not intended to set a precedent.

Funds will be used to distribute naloxone kits, provide training, support ECHO hubs, expand care, and address disparities.

Organizations that will receive funding include:

• $367,000 each to the Rural AIDS Action Network and the Steve Rummler HOPE Network;

• $367,000 to the Department of Health to distribute naloxone to all eight emergency medical service regions, and to expand naloxone distribution to tribal entities;

• $200,000 to Wayside Recovery Center;

• $150,000 to St. Louis County;

• $144,000 each to Alliance Wellness Center, My Home, Inc., Turning Point, Inc., Ka Joog, and Twin Cities Recovery Project, Inc.;

• $130,000 to the Native American Community Clinic;

• $112,000 to Hennepin Healthcare;

• $100,000 to CHI St. Gabriel’s Health Family Medical Center; and

• $50,000 each to the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, the American Indian Family Center, the Community Health Worker Alliance, and the Northwest Indian Community Development Center.

HF4601*/SF4577/CH113

HF4601* / SF4577 / CH113