DEPARTMENT: Public Health
FILE TYPE: Consent Action
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Authorization To Execute A Contract For A Multimedia Public Awareness Campaign, Allocate $150,000 Of Opioid Settlement Funds, And Amend 2025 Public Health And 2025 Non-Departmental Budgets
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RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 375A.04, the Dakota County Board of Commissioners is, and performs the duties and exercises the powers of, a community health board under Minn. Stat. Ch. 145A, including the responsibility to prevent disease and to promote and protect the public health of Dakota County residents; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota was part of a multi-state lawsuit against opioid manufacturers and distributors; and
WHEREAS, Dakota County has received $5,401,004 to date and is expected to receive more than $16 million from the National Opioid Settlement Agreements for the purposes of opioid remediation activities or restitution; and
WHEREAS, the Dakota County Opioid Response Advisory Committee (ORAC) was established as a County Board appointed advisory committee in October 2023 and supports the development of a comprehensive and effective countywide response to the opioid crisis; and
WHEREAS, it provides recommendations to the County Board on the use of Opioid Settlement funds for external projects and initiatives; and
WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 25-200 (April 22, 2025), the Dakota County Board of Commissioners adopted the 2025-2026 Strategic Plan from the ORAC, which includes a priority to increase community awareness by which Public Health and its internal communication partners create and promote culturally appropriate and stigma-reducing opioid messages to increase community awareness; and
WHEREAS, this includes starting a paid communication campaign to increase opioid awareness and recruit help from the community in the effort of opioid awareness; and
WHEREAS, Dakota County continues to see the harmful and often fatal impacts of opioid misuse, particularly involving fentanyl; and
WHEREAS, as part of its efforts to address the opioid crisis, engage the community in prevention and education, and align with the ORAC’s Strategic Plan, Public Health proposes to launch a multimedia public awareness campaign focused on raising awareness of the risks associated with fentanyl and other opioids, and promoting prevention, treatment, and recovery resources; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with the County’s standard solicitation process, Public Health will post a solicitation for a vendor to lead this multimedia public awareness campaign, which will include digital, social media, print, radio, and transit advertising, along with community engagement strategies and stakeholder partnerships; and
WHEREAS, the campaign will be developed in alignment with public health best practices, Johns Hopkins Principles, and culturally responsive messaging; and
WHEREAS, to maximize visibility and impact, the campaign will launch in August 2025 in recognition of Overdose Awareness Month, culminating with observances and events on International Overdose Awareness Day, August 31; and
WHEREAS, funding for the campaign will be drawn from Dakota County’s allocation of national opioid settlement funds; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with the Amended Minnesota Opioids State-Subdivision Memorandum of Agreement, the authorization is for expenditures of opioid settlement funds up to $150,000 over the period of July 1, 2025 through December 31, 2026; and
WHEREAS, the expenditure aligns with the Memorandum of Agreement’s list of opioid remediation uses in Exhibit A, section G, subsection 1, which states the remediation use of funding media campaigns to prevent opioid misuse, including but not limited to focusing on risk factors and early interventions.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes an allocation of up to $150,000 of opioid settlement funds from the 2024 Non-Departmental Budget for the period of July 1, 2025 through December 31, 2026, for a countywide multimedia campaign to increase community awareness and prevent opioid misuse in accordance with the Opioid Memorandum of Agreement Exhibit A strategy item G.1.; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes execution of a contract with a selected vendor in an amount not to exceed $150,000 of opioid settlement funds for the period of August 1, 2025 through December 31, 2026, to lead the countywide multimedia campaign to increase community awareness and prevent opioid misuse in accordance with the Opioid Memorandum of Agreement Exhibit A strategy item G.1., subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Community Services Director is hereby authorized to amend said contract, consistent with the amount budgeted, to alter the contract amount and the contract term up to one year after initial expiration date, consistent with County contracting policies, subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the contract shall contain a provision that allows the County to immediately terminate the contract in the event sufficient funds from county, state, or federal sources are not appropriated at a level sufficient to allow payment of the amounts due; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the 2025 Public Health Budget is hereby amended as follows:
Expense
Opioid Settlement Expense $150,000
Total Expense $150,000
Revenue
Opioid Settlement Funds $150,000
Total Revenue $150,000
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the 2025 Non-Departmental Budget is hereby amended as follows:
Expense
Opioid Settlement Expense $(150,000)
Total Expense $(150,000)
Revenue
Opioid Settlement Funds $(150,000)
Total Revenue $(150,000)
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