Rock County adopts updated opioid-settlement implementation plan and amends 2025 budget

Rock County adopted an updated implementation plan for opioid-settlement funds and approved a 2025 budget amendment to allocate the next round of payments, county officials said.

Public Health educator Sherry Faber told the Board that Rock County is one of the municipalities receiving payments from opioid settlement agreements and summarized a three-year spending plan that extends prevention and treatment grants, funds sober-living startup and flex supports, and pilots transportation options. “Rock County is 1 of the municipalities that participated in those lawsuits and is getting payments from those settlements,” Faber said.

The plan continues previously funded programs and adds priorities identified in a 2024 community assessment: housing (including sober-living startup grants, short-term rent assistance and matched move-in funds), transportation pilots and expanded peer-support and flexible funds to remove barriers to treatment such as pet boarding or short-term groceries. Faber said the county initially allocated $1,380,000 in 2024–25 for prevention, sober-living beds and an intensive outpatient program and is proposing another $1,678,000 for 2025–27 under the update. Rock County reported $3,816,000 in its opioid-settlement account at the end of 2024; after prior and newly proposed allocations, Faber said about $758,000 remained in the account.

Supervisors moved to adopt the update and to amend the 2025 budget to reflect the allocations. The motion to adopt the implementation plan was made by Supervisor Peers and seconded by Supervisor Fugoself; the budget amendment passed on roll call, 26 yes, 0 no, 3 absent.

The plan keeps a Justice Point screening contract for substance-use assessment in the county jail, continues medication for opioid-use disorder (MOUD) in the jail, and funds community prevention grants and drug-disposal and lockbox distribution. Faber said the county will issue new requests for proposals for prevention grants and will form a transportation committee to pilot options such as agency-managed bus passes, vehicle purchases for sober-living operators, contracting ride services or mileage reimbursement for peer supporters.

County officials said projected settlement receipts over 2025–27 will increase the funds available for future grants; Faber read estimated incoming amounts for 2025, 2026 and 2027 as part of the planning forecast. No specific vendors or recipients were approved in the discussion beyond the continuation of existing contracts previously authorized.

The Board approved the plan and the budget amendment by roll call; supervisors did not raise additional conditions during the vote. The county will proceed to release competitive opportunities and contract amendments in line with the adopted priorities.