Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Opioid Response topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Isanti County awards three opioid-settlement contracts for treatment, workforce and youth services
Summary
County Health and Human Services presented and the board approved three contracts, funded from national opioid settlement proceeds, to support workforce services, probation-based treatment and youth behavioral health programs totaling about $399,009 over staggered terms.
Isanti County Health and Human Services recommended and the County Board on June 17 approved three contracts to spend opioid-settlement funds on local treatment, recovery-support and workforce programs.
The board approved by resolution a $90,000 award to Central Minnesota Jobs and Training Services to provide workforce-related supports (contract through 6/30/2026); a $206,000 award to Isanti County Probation to fund a probation-based chemical-dependency position and contracted treatment services (through 6/1/2027); and a $103,009.25 award to Lighthouse Child and Family Services to run child- and parent-focused behavioral health groups and provide transportation support (through Dec. 2026).
Jody, Isanti County public health chief strategist, told the board the awards come from a competitive RFP run through the county's settlement advisory council. "The total funds anticipated over the 18-year settlement agreement is approximately 2,880,000. Settlement funds received to date, 942,000. Expenditures to date, 42,000. And the remaining balance in our special fund at this time is $895,000," she said.
The probation contract was presented with additional detail by Tim, the county probation leader, who described the proposal as three "buckets" of services: education and prevention, direct client care and partial subcontracting to a chemical-dependency provider for recovery supports. "The funding is going to be for 1 FTE plus this contracted service," Tim said, noting the county will seek a licensed alcohol and drug counselor for the new position.
Board members said they supported awarding the funds after public-health staff described required reporting, quarterly reimbursements tied to invoices, and outcome presentations to the settlement advisory council. Jody said public health is developing standardized invoice and reporting templates and will require quarterly progress reports and advisory-council updates.
The motions to approve were made as resolutions; each passed by voice vote with no recorded roll-call breakdown in the meeting minutes.
Why it matters: the three contracts direct settlement dollars toward workforce supports, justice-system-linked treatment and child and family behavioral services — approaches county staff said aim to reduce overdoses, lower recidivism, and increase access to chemical-dependency care.
What's next: the probation department will seek personnel approval and recruit the licensed counselor; public health staff will finalize reporting templates and monitor outcomes quarterly.
