Dane County Health and Human Needs Subcommittee to Hold Public Hearing on Opioid Settlement Funding

April 16, 2025
County Board Supervisor Rick Rose, (608) 616-9365
County Board

The Dane County Health and Human Needs (HHN) Opioid Settlement Subcommittee will hold a public hearing on Monday, April 28 at 5:00 PM to gather public input on the allocation of current and future opioid settlement dollars. The hearing will be held in a hybrid format, virtually and in room 357 of the City-County Building, 210 MLK Jr. Blvd., Madison.  Information to connect to the meeting virtually will be available on the agenda which will be available here, no later than Friday April 25, 2025.

In both 2022 and 2023, the Dane County Board of Supervisors approved participation in two national opioid settlements. Since then, committee members have been receiving regular updates on local overdose data, medical examiner reports, and the financial details of the settlements.

Supervisor Rose who Co-Chairs the Subcommittee, wants people to see the opioid settlement money as dedicated funds to help communities heal from the opioid crisis, similar to how insurance helps a family after an accident. This is different from the regular taxes (like a "gross revenue tax levy") that the County Board manages to fund everyday services. “Because of this specific purpose, we know it's vital for elected officials to listen to the people most affected by the opioid crisis to understand their immediate needs and create the best ways to use the settlement money for their healing.”

The public hearing will provide an opportunity for community members to weigh in on priorities for how the funds should be spent. Discussion will center on the following potential areas of investment:

  • Sober living and reentry support, especially after incarceration or residential recovery
  • Peer support services
  • Treatment programs for substance use disorder
  • Mental health support integrated with recovery services
  • Harm reduction supplies, including safer smoking kits
  • Support for the unhoused community
  • Drug checking services to prevent overdoses
  • Access to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in jail and other facilities
  • Expansion of a harm reduction center

Dane County residents are encouraged to attend to provide input on how funds will be allocated in the future.

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