Woodbury County approves $5,000 from opioid settlement funds for first‑responder mental‑health speaker

The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 to approve a $5,000 payment from opioid settlement funds to bring a mental‑health speaker for first responders.

The supervisors moved the funding after the item, presented by the Woodbury County Fire Association, was taken off a previous meeting’s agenda so the county attorney could confirm that the proposed speaker and content fit allowable uses of opioid settlement money. Supporters said the speech would address mental‑health stresses seen among emergency personnel and would reference substance misuse only as part of a broader talk on coping and treatment.

Supervisor Nelson moved approval and told the board, “I would go ahead and I would make the motion to fund your mental health speaker in the amount of $5,000 from the opioid settlement funds.” Supervisor Vinger seconded the motion. The board then voted unanimously, 4-0.

Board members said some constituents expressed reservations over using opioid settlement funds for the event; those concerns prompted last week’s request for a legal review. County staff reported the county attorney identified two allowable uses under the county’s opioid funds that would permit this expenditure if the speaker’s content addressed opioid‑related deaths, treatment, or the link between substance misuse and mental health.

The Fire Association representative who requested the funding described the speaker’s message as raising awareness and discouraging reliance on alcohol or opioids to cope with work‑related stress. The board did not set a date for the presentation during the meeting.

No further implementation steps or reporting requirements were specified during the discussion.