Copyright Austin Daily Herald
Did you know that Mower County will receive approximately $2.1 million between 2023-2041 to respond to the ongoing opioid crisis? In 2021, the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office joined the historic $26 billion multi-state settlement agreements with pharmaceutical distribution. This was followed in 2022, with another $20.4 billion multi-state settlement against major opioid manufacture and retail pharmacy chains. These settlements were designed to help communities across the country respond to the ongoing opioid crisis — a crisis that continues to claim lives every six and a half minutes in our nation. Here in Mower County, we are proud to be part of this movement. Through four key pillars — prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction — we are working to shift the narrative from one of loss to one of hope, resilience, and recovery. The Opioid Advisory Committee (OAC) is a diverse group — a coalition of individuals with lived experience, professional expertise, and a shared passion for making a difference. These members volunteer their time to review proposals and identify projects that have the greatest potential to strengthen our community. Since its formation in 2023, the OAC has awarded roughly $250,000 to 12 impactful projects. Many of which will be highlighted at the upcoming OAC annual Open Meeting, on Nov. 20 from 5:30-7 p.m., at the Government Building (201 1st St. NE. Austin, MN). This meeting is open to the public for those who are interested in learning about what projects were funded in 2025, get any questions answered that you may have about this work, and discuss future opportunities on how the funding should be spent in Mower County. Some programs that OAC is proud to be showcasing includes expanding the reach of peer recovery specialists and Independent Management Services’ Teen Intervene program, to building community resilience through Mental Health First Aid trainings and overdose prevention workshops, to supporting reentry with SOAR resource bags, Naloxone vending machines, and much more! Each initiative brings us one step closer to our shared goal: zero overdose deaths in Mower County. However, this is only the beginning. With more than $520,000 currently available and additional settlement installments on the way, there is tremendous opportunity ahead. OAC’s annual Open Meeting is not only a chance to celebrate the progress we’ve made — it’s also an open invitation for collaboration. I encourage you to think about the resources, ideas, or programs that could truly benefit Mower County residents in response to the opioid epidemic. Maybe it’s something you’re already involved in and would like to expand, or perhaps it’s a program from another county that could make an impact here. Come with your ideas to the open meeting and I’d love to discuss it with you! By working together — across systems, across experiences, across communities — we can build a Mower County where recovery is not the exception, but the expectation.I hope to see you on Nov. 20!
