Oconto County has created an Opioid Abatement Ad-Hoc Steering Committee to administer grants from the county’s opioid settlement funds to eligible groups.
County Administrator Richard Heath estimates the county will have about $1.6 million available for opioid remediation grants through 2038.
Oconto County joined other units of government in Wisconsin and other states in holding manufacturers, distributors and retailers accountable for their role in the opioid crisis. A number of settlements have already been reached with manufacturers and distributors, and the county began receiving payments in 2022.
The ad hoc committee was established to oversee the use of the settlement funds, Heath said.
Qualified applicants include private nonprofit organizations within Oconto County that have as their primary purpose to prevent the use of opioids or treat those individuals who currently use or have used opioids; public and private kindergarten-through-12th-grade schools; public health; law enforcement agencies; and medical facilities.
Priority uses of opioid settlement funds include prevention, treatment, education, support and training. Grant amounts will be determined by the committee based on each request for funding. The committee plans to review funding requests on a bimonthly basis.
Grants will be for one year or for a specified time based on the service to be provided or project. All applicants must complete an application that includes a narrative of the proposed service or project; organizational overview; statement of need/opportunity; objectives; activities to be performed and evaluation matrix of success; budget; and future funding, if this service or program is anticipated to continue beyond the grant timeframe.
Successful grant applicants will be required to complete brief status reports based on the dates listed in the application and a final report at the end of the project or grant period.
For more Information and application materials, email opioid.taskforce@ocontocountywi.gov
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