Olmsted County details opioid‑settlement spending: DART reports hundreds helped; fatality review and spike response teams stand up

Olmsted County officials updated the Board on how opioid settlement funds are being used to expand treatment access and response. Sydney Frey, program manager, briefed commissioners that the county announced a $7.2 million opioid settlement allocation in 2023 spread over 18 years and that the county implemented a Drug and Alcohol Response Team (DART) in January 2024.

Monica (DART team lead) presented operational outcomes since DART’s inception: more than 800 unique individuals served, over 1,000 referrals, roughly 8,000 contacts with clients and supports (including coordination with probation, jail, defenders and treatment providers), about 280 assessments completed, a reported 85% success rate in reaching referred individuals, 150+ post‑overdose outreaches, 53 placements into police‑assisted recovery (PAR) beds, and more than 400 treatment admissions across outpatient, inpatient and medication‑assisted care.

The presenters described two new initiatives funded or supported by settlement dollars: an overdose fatality review team that includes medical examiners and public‑safety partners to analyze each fatal overdose and recommend system changes; and an overdose spike response team that will use state and local data to trigger swift, multiagency responses. Abby Tricker said the Minnesota Department of Health and a federal High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program are providing technical assistance and help with tabletop exercises.

Abby also summarized metrics for the county’s Credible Mind platform, a digital mental‑health resource launched in late 2023. County staff said most traffic to the platform comes from promotional outreach efforts; the most viewed topics are depression and anxiety, and the county has also added local resource links for mental health, substance use and parenting assistance.

Commissioners asked detailed questions about data and trends. Staff said statewide preliminary data indicate a decrease in fatal overdoses in 2024 versus 2023 but that some 2025 months have shown increases and that final confirmation awaits additional state reporting. Staff emphasized improved local coordination (less siloing among law enforcement, EMS, public health and treatment partners) and said the overdose fatality review team will examine autopsies and case data to distinguish causes (for example, differentiating fentanyl, methamphetamine, mixed substances, or toxin contamination).

Several commissioners asked how residents access DART; staff said entry points include direct phone calls (number listed on the Olmsted County website), outreach wristbands distributed to unhoused people, and referrals from partners including police, hospitals and community organizations.

Staff said the county will continue to monitor how long settlement funds will support current initiatives and will report back as budgets and additional settlements evolve.