Governor’s Advisory Council on Opioids, Substance Use, and Addiction
In November of 2022, Walz & Flanagan announced appointments to the Governor’s Advisory Council on Opioids, Substance Use, and Addiction. The purpose of the council is to identify opportunities for and barriers to the development and implementation of policies and strategies to expand access to effective services for Minnesotans. The council is committed to serving the underrepresented populations of Minnesota and looks forward to receiving feedback from marginalized communities at highest risk for overdose and addiction. They held their first meeting this February.
The priorities of the council include access to treatment and services, eliminating stigma, decriminalization, enhancing the workforce, state contracting and criminal justice reform, family supports, and housing.
More information on the council, their priorities, and future meeting information can be found on their webpage.
The Governor’s Advisory Council will hold their next meeting on April 4th, 2023 from 1PM – 4 PM.
This meeting will be hybrid – people can attend in person at the Elmer Anderson Human Services Building, 540 Cedar Street, St. Paul MN 55101, in room 2370 or by joining via WebEx using this link.
Opioid Epidemic Response Advisory Council (OERAC)
OERAC was established in 2019 under House File 400 to develop and implement a comprehensive and effective statewide effort to address the opioid addiction and overdose epidemic in Minnesota. More information on the council, including its purpose, members, and meeting information can be found on their website.
During their most recent meeting, OERAC discussed potential timelines for applications and awards related to the funding they have available ($6.1M from 2022 licensing fees and $18.845M from 2022 settlement money). Based on the votes that were taken, we believe it is likely that their decision will be to propose $1.1M to tribes, $2.3M-$3.6M for contract extensions, and take RFPs for the remaining $21.545M-$20.245M.