Board backs continuation funding and new call for proposals from opioid settlement dollars

Stearns County commissioners voted to continue funding six projects supported by opioid settlement money and to open a new call for proposals for additional local programs, the board decided Oct. 5.

Melissa Huberty, the county’s human services administrator, told the board the county’s opioid community advisory committee (OCAC) and an internal policy committee guide spending from the national opioid abatement settlement. OCAC uses three required categories — prevention, harm reduction and recovery — as selection criteria, Huberty said.

Janet Golagowski, public-health director and OCAC strategist, summarized outcomes from six county-funded projects approved last year. She reported that one youth-prevention grantee provided 18 unique workshops reaching 635 youth, and that 60% of those participants had identified a coping skill by the third month of follow-up.

Two funded community groups presented their work: Hodan Omar, director of Hoda Hour, described outreach and stigma-reduction in the county’s East African/Somali community, saying the program “host[ed] smaller events, 1 on 1 groups, to large community meetings” and helped people “sit together and find a way that we can, get help.” Jerry Sparbee, founder of the YES Network, shared school- and neighborhood-based prevention and leadership programming, describing classroom breathing exercises and leadership groups that he said brought students together and fostered connections.

Huberty asked the board to approve continuation funding for the six existing projects for another year and to authorize staff to open a new call for proposals. The county will vet proposals, interview applicants and expect to return to the board in the first quarter of 2026 with funding recommendations, Huberty said.

The motion to accept the annual update, approve the OCAC call for proposals and continue funding for the six 2024 projects was moved and seconded; Commissioner Persky seconded the motion and asked questions about long-range sustainability. Commissioners discussed leveraging the one-time settlement funding as a “jump start” for community programs and the importance of planning for sustainability if federal or state funding declines.

The board approved the motion on a voice vote. Staff said the call for proposals would open within a month and that OCAC would conduct interviews and bring its recommendations through the county’s policy committee before returning to the board for final approval.