DEPARTMENT: Public Health
FILE TYPE: Regular Action
TITLE
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Authorization To Execute A Contract Amendment With Wayside House, Inc. Using Opioid Settlement Funds
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RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Opioid settlement funds are distributed and governed by the Amended Minnesota Opioid State-Subdivision Memorandum of Agreement (“MOA”) which sets forth authorized strategies in MOA Exhibit A; and
WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 25-034 (January 21, 2025), the Dakota County Board of Commissioners authorized the Community Services Director to execute a contract with Wayside House, Inc. DBA Wayside Recovery Center (“Wayside Recovery Center”) in a contract not to exceed amount of $100,000 using opioid settlement funds for MOA Exhibit A strategies D.4 and D.5, for the term of July 2, 2025 through December 31, 2026; and
WHEREAS, an amendment is proposed for Wayside Recovery Center to continue to provide support to individuals who are involved in or transitioning out of the criminal justice system in Dakota County through case consultation, comprehensive assessment, care coordination, and linkage to treatment; and
WHEREAS, while Commissioner Laurie Halverson (“Commissioner Halvorson”) and Community Corrections Director Suwana Kirkland (“Director Kirkland”) are board members of Wayside Recovery Center, Commissioner Halverson abstained from voting on the resolution and the contract will not be under the purview of Director Kirkland for any decision-making.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the County Manager, or delegate, to execute a contract amendment with Wayside House Inc. to extend the term through December 31, 2028, to provide services in accordance with the Amended Minnesota Opioid State-Subdivision Memorandum of Agreement Exhibit A strategy items D.4 and D.5, subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form.
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BACKGROUND
Minnesota was part of a multi-state $46.6-billion-dollar lawsuit against opioid manufacturers and distributors. Dakota County (the “County”) will receive $9,127,527.20 in the first settlement and $7,429,374.49 in the second settlement over a 19-year period. Pursuant to the Amended Minnesota Opioid State-Subdivision Memorandum of Agreement (“MOA”), the County may use the opioid settlement funds when the Dakota County Board of Commissioners passes a resolution authorizing the expenditure of a stated amount of funds connected to specific strategies the County intends to fund by identifying the item letter and/or number in the MOA.
Fiscal decisions made by federal and state government have impacted our Dakota County communities and caused financial consequences for the opioid contractors. Working on remediation, prevention, treatment, and recovery, the opioid contractors have been doing exceptional work in our communities despite this new reality. Additionally, Operation Metro Surge greatly impacted the opioid contractor’s ability to deliver services in the way they had planned.
This will continue to expand trauma-based, co-occurring treatment for adolescents, to increase accessibility to Medication for Opioid Use Disorder for adolescents, and to provide holistic support to adolescents with Opioid Use Disorder and/or Mental Health conditions and their families in accordance with the Opioid Memorandum of Agreement Exhibit A strategy items D.4 and D.5.
MOA Exhibit A includes the following authorized strategies which will be funded through this contract amendment:
• Strategy D.4: Provide evidence-informed treatment, including Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (“MOUD”), recovery support, harm reduction, or other appropriate services to individuals with Opioid Use Disorder (“OUD”) and any co-occurring Substance Use Disorder or Mental Health (“SUD/MH”) conditions who are incarcerated in jail or prison.
• Strategy D.5: Provide evidence-informed treatment, including MOUD, recovery support, harm reduction, or other appropriate services to individuals with OUD and any co-occurring SUD/MH conditions who are leaving jail or prison or have recently left jail or prison, are on probation or parole, are under community corrections supervision, or are in re-entry programs or facilities.
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends authorization to execute a contract amendment with Wayside House, Inc. to extend the term through December 31, 2028.
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FINANCIAL AND STAFFING IMPACTS
The original contract was included in the 2025 Public Health budget. There is sufficient available budget for this recommended action.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
25-034; 01/21/25
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: RBA Contract Summary Sheet
CONTACT
Department Director: Gina Pistulka
Author: Jess Luce