Eau Claire County creating Opioid Settlement Task Force

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) -Over the next 18 years, Eau Claire County expects to receive nearly $2.6 million from two opioid settlements. To spend that money, it’s creating an Opioid Settlement Task Force.

At its meeting last week, the Eau Claire County Board of Supervisors approved the creation of the task force.

One of those task force members is Tiana Glenna, the Eau Claire County Criminal Justice Services Director.

“It’s really bringing our community partners together and persons with lived experiences to better identify that intersection with the opioids and our community and the criminal justice system because we want to work those dollars into the community sooner, so they don’t reach the criminal aspect of our system,” Glenna said.

Part of the work, Glenna said, will include continuing the opioid prevention and abatement efforts already happening in the county as well as finding new opportunities.

Some of those services already in Eau Claire County include the work of the Eau Claire City-County Health Department.

“It’s really important to be able to provide education to the community about what opioids are, what are the signs of an overdose and how to be able to respond in case someone comes across a medical emergency such as an opioid overdose,” said Sarah Dillivan-Pospisil, a public health specialist with the Eau Claire City-County Health Department.

To do that, the health department has been using grant money to put on workshops around the community focusing on those topics.

It’s also providing training on how to use the overdose reversal drug Narcan.

“We think it’s really important to be able to continue to provide education throughout the county making sure that’s accessible to everyone, to be able to continue that in English, Spanish as well as Hmong. To have written materials as well as verbal materials so everyone has the same understanding of what is happening within our community and how you’re able to respond,” Dillivan-Pospisil said.

As the opioid settlement dollars come in over the next 18 years, members of the task force will work together to determine how to use the money to best serve the community.

Glenna hopes the Opioid Settlement Task Force will be completely up and running by the end of the year.

Last month the county got some of the first dollars from the settlements. It expects to receive nearly $300,000 before the end of the year.

The Eau Claire City-County Health Department’s next Narcan and Overdose Prevention Training workshop is this Thursday. It’s open to all community members. Click HERE to register.

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