- Home
- Departments
- Public Health and Environment
- Public Health Services
- Opioid Response
- Opioid Settlement Funding
Washington County's Opioid Settlement Funding
About the Opioid Settlement Funding
Beginning in 2021, Minnesota and other states reached settlement agreements with several large companies that distributed and manufactured opioids. The settlements resolved investigations and lawsuits against these companies for their role in fueling the opioid crisis. The settlements require these companies to pay billions of dollars across the country. These companies are also required to make changes in the way they do business and are subject to far more oversight and accountability than before.
Washington County and other local governments across Minnesota receive funding from the national opioid settlements on a payment schedule that began in 2022 and will continue through 2038. Currently estimated Opioid Settlement Payment Amounts to cities and counties are available from the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office. Information on how settlement funding is being spent across the state is available on the Opioid Epidemic Response Spending Dashboard from Minnesota Management and Budget. (County and city expenditure reports are available by August 1 each year for the preceding calendar year’s spending.)
Opioid Settlement Council
The Opioid Settlement Council provides leadership and guidance on Washington County’s opioid settlement spending.
Grant recipients
In 2024, the Opioid Settlement Council awarded the first round of opioid settlement grants totaling more than $500,000 to eight community-based projects that will help address the impacts of the opioid crisis. All funded projects, outlined below, are intended to fill gaps and meet community needs.
Current Grantees
- Family Recovery Programming: Thrive! Family Recovery Resources.
- Technology and Access to Care: YourPath .
- Focused Community Education: ShelettaMakesMeLaugh, LLC .
- Recovery and Peer Support: Waymakers to Recovery.
- Hispanic/Latino Community Health: Wellshare International.
- Education in Rural/Faith Communities: Elim Lutheran Church.
- Youth Programming in Schools: Change the Outcome .
- Support for Veterans and First Responders: Invisible Wounds Project.
2025 Timeline
| 2025 Quarter 1 | 2025 Quarter 2 | 2025 Quarter 3 | 2025 Quarter 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHE supports and monitors existing projects (continues throughout the year). | Council evaluates current spending and continues 2025 planning. | 2025 funding application process opens. | Council reviews proposals and selects funding awardees. |
| Council reviews data and begins 2025 planning. | Planning for 2026 budget begins. |
Community Input Survey results
In 2023, Washington County Public Health and Environment conducted a survey to gather input from community members and relevant professionals in Washington County to inform local planning for opioid settlement funds. View the full Community Input Survey Results report (PDF).