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...
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