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Cass County to apply for Overdose Fatality Review grant to strengthen response to overdose deaths
Summary
Cass County authorized Health, Human & Veterans Services to apply for an MDH Overdose Fatality Review Team Development & Implementation Grant (up to $20,000) to build a local overdose fatality review process; Sheriff Welk said there were 17 overdose-related deaths in 2023 and 9 in 2024.
The Cass County Board authorized Health, Human & Veterans Services to apply for an Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) Team Development and Implementation Grant through the Minnesota Department of Health.
Public Health Planner Jamie Richter and Sheriff Bryan Welk described the application opportunity and its purpose: to build or strengthen a local OFR process that reviews overdose deaths and seeks systems-level prevention actions. Richter said the grant requires no county match and that awardees could receive an estimated $20,000 over an 18-month period. Sheriff Bryan Welk noted recent local overdose fatalities, saying there were "17 overdose-related deaths" in 2023 and "9 in 2024," underscoring the intent to save lives and improve cross-agency collaboration.
The Board voted unanimously to authorize submission of the application by HHVS. Commissioners noted the grant would allow opioid settlement funds to be stretched further and provide staff training and capacity-building for coordinated review with law enforcement and public health partners.
