Polk County approves new public-health contracts, opioid-funded medication-disposal pouches; expands TB testing options
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
Polk County Public Health won board approval for several contracts (LUMA, Crookston High School outreach, KRX radio, Recovery Partners, Vocal Fuel) funded through children services allocations, grants and opioid settlement funds; the board approved an initial $2,205 purchase of Deterra medication-deactivation pouches and updated TB testing fees to cover costs and offer IGRA blood testing.
Polk County Public Health presented a slate of new contracts and program purchases aimed at prevention, treatment access and communications, and the board approved the items on voice votes.
Key approvals and items: - LUMA: A children’s mental-health services contract not to exceed $40,000 (funded through children services allocations). The board approved the contract. - Deterra drug-deactivation pouches: The opioid-settlement advisory council recommended up to $5,000 for medication-disposal pouches. Public Health recommended an initial purchase of 7,150 small pouches at a cost of $2,205 to pilot distribution through county locations and partner agencies; the board approved the purchase. Staff said pouches are intended to reduce diversion, accidental ingestion and environmental contamination and are intended to supplement existing take-back and drug-task-force options. - Community contracts: The board approved a $40,000 agreement with Crookston High School and a $10,400 agreement with KRX radio for outreach and prevention messaging; it also approved two agreements with Recovery Partners Inc. (Hope Works Network and the Northwest Minnesota Center for Hope) to support local treatment infrastructure and peer support. - Communications consulting: Polk County approved a contract with Vocal Fuel Consulting (Megan Peterson) to build a message-testing framework across a 12-county region to improve public-health messaging under state grant allowances.
Public Health also proposed and the board approved an increase in the Mantoux (skin) TB test fee from $30 to $130 to reflect the vial cost and added an IGRA blood test (proposed $110) as a laboratory option. Staff noted the county will continue to coordinate testing and vaccination messaging; they reported monitoring measles exposures across the North Dakota border and preparing outreach to clinics and residents.
Board members discussed distribution plans for pouches (county locations, partner clinics, senior centers, libraries) and emphasized working with hospitals and clinics. The board recorded approvals by motion and voice vote for the listed contracts and program purchases.