Copyright Austin Daily Herald
On Thursday, Nov. 20, the Opioid Advisory Committee (OAC) will be hosting its annual open meeting, which not only updates the public on the work it’s done of the past year, but also allows for public input and the discussion of future opportunities for funding. The meeting will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. at Government Center, located at 201 First Street NE in Austin. According to Mower County Health and Human Services’ Allison Scott, the meeting is an important part of what the OAC is doing each year as it distributes funds handed down from opioid lawsuit settlements. “This is just the showcase to see what’s happening and to get the message out that funding is available and for public comment,” Scott said. “The more the community is involved and the public feels more comfortable to discuss, the more we want to hear.” Over the span of 18 years, OAC is tasked in distributing close to $2.1 million in lawsuit money. Three years into that, the committee has spent close to $250,000 across 12 projects that includes the Naloxone vending machine, Recovery is Happening’s Recovery Walk, Supportive Opiate Assistance Reentry bags for people leaving the Mower County Jail and most recently, medical devices that were distributed October to emergency service agencies in Mower County. These types of engagements, Scott said, help invest the community in the work being done to combat drug overdoses related to opioids. “Someone dies every six and a half minutes in our country from an overdose. Mower County isn’t any different. We want public comment because it really is their community. It’s not what Mower County Health and Human Services thinks will help. It is what the public thinks because they have lived experience or they know what they would like to see from different communities coming here.” Mower County isn’t alone in receiving this funding, but its use of the money does differ from how other places might be using it. “Everyone is using it in different ways,” Scott said. “Some are more creative, some put all of their money into one project. The way we’re doing it is we want a lot of different projects.” With $250,000 having been spent so far out of the total pot and around $500,000 currently in hand, Scott said the committee is hoping to see more ideas come forward. But at the same time, the OAC isn’t just looking to throw money at anything that comes forward, making public investment that much more important. “We would love to see that spent, but we want to ensure that every dollar is spent with purpose,” Scott said. “We’re not giving money out just to give out money. We’re taking little steps. We can’t make big leaps, but I think we're making progress. For more information leading up to the meeting contact Scott at 1-507-437-9796 or email her at allisons@co.mower.mn.us.
