Working Together to End the Opioid Epidemic

In order to address the opioid crisis gripping the state, the Minnesota Department of Human Services is working with state and community partners to increase awareness, decrease the number of persons who develop opioid use disorder and reduce the harms resulting from opioid addiction.

2019 Opiate Epidemic Response law

In 2019, Governor Tim Walz signed the Opiate Epidemic Response into law. The bill secures sustainable funding to fight the opioid crisis. In addition, the bill established the Opioid Epidemic Response Advisory Council to develop and implement a comprehensive and effective statewide effort to address the opioid epidemic in Minnesota.

Opioid Epidemic Response Advisory Council

Efforts to date: Attacking the problem from all angles

As the state authority on substance abuse disorder prevention and treatment, the Department of Human Services has a big role in tackling this problem.

DHS efforts include:

A community response to opioids: grants to prevent and treat opioid use disorder
Across the state, communities, providers, Tribes and counties are working to end to the opioid epidemic.

Efforts include:
- Making it easier and faster for people to receive substance use disorder treatment services
- Expanding medication-assisted treatment, in both the number of providers and their geographic reach. Medication-assisted treatment combines behavioral therapy and medications to treat substance use disorders
- Increasing opioid-specific peer recovery and care coordination
- Piloting the Parent Child Assistance Program, a peer support program for pre- and post-natal mothers
- Expanding access to naloxone — a drug that serves as an immediate lifesaving antidote to opioid overdose — for opioid treatment programs and emergency medical service teams
- Launching Fast-Tracker, a website showing real-time treatment bed availability
Minnesota has received three federal grants to support these efforts.
Supporting communities: State Opioid Response grant
Over $11.2 million in State Opioid Response grants have been awarded to 27 counties, tribes, health care providers and community agencies to fight the opioid epidemic. The funding is from the two-year federal State Opioid Response (SOR) grant, which aims to help combat the opioid epidemic. Grants run through September 2020.
- More information and a list of grantees
Expanding proven treatments: Medication-Assisted Treatment

In the fall 2017, the state received $6 million to expand medication-assisted treatment (PDF) over three years, working in partnership with tribal governments and healthcare providers. FDA has approved several different medications to treat opioid addiction and alcohol dependence. These medications relieve the withdrawal symptoms and psychological cravings that cause chemical imbalances in the body. MAT programs provide a safe and controlled level of medication to overcome the use of an abused opioid. And research has shown that when provided at the proper dose, medications used in MAT have no adverse effects on a person’s intelligence, mental capability, physical functioning, or employability.
State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis

In the summer of 2017, Minnesota received a two-year, $10.6 Million State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. DHS then awarded grants to 40 state agencies, Tribes and counties. The result is a wide-range of community-based solutions, from streamlining services to supporting existing programs to creating new and innovative approaches.

The grant ended in April 2019.

More information

Making it work: A coordinated response

Solutions to the opioid crisis cuts across a number of State agencies and boards (PDF). It is critical that we coordinate and collaborate as we work together to end the crisis.

DHS coordinates two groups:

Minnesota State Government Opioid Oversight Project
Minnesota State Government Opioid Oversight Project (SOOP) (PDF) is state agencies working together at every level — from prevention, to emergency response, to treatment — in order to eliminate duplication of efforts, align work and leverage resources.
SOOP agency partners include:
- Department of Human Services
- Department of Corrections
- Department of Education
- Department of Health
- Department of Labor and Industry
- Department of Public Safety
- Minnesota State Judicial Branch
- Minnesota Board of Pharmacy
- Minnesota Board of Medical Practice
- Minnesota Board of Dentistry
- Minnesota Board of Nursing
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
- Minnesota Board of Podiatric Medicine
Opioid Prescribing Workgroup
The Opioid Prescribing Work Group (OPWG) is an advisory body of experts convened to forward DHS’ Opioid Prescribing Improvement Program. The program plays a crucial role in Minnesota’s response to the crisis of prescription opioid misuse and abuse, namely addressing inappropriate prescribing behavior among Minnesota health care providers.
The Opioid Prescribing Improvement Program was created in 2015 at the direction of the governor and the Legislature, and the work group is convened through 2019. The work group is tasked with providing recommendations on the following program components:
- Protocols that address all phases of the opioid prescribing cycle
- Development of educational resources and messages for providers to use in communicating with patients about pain and the use of opioids to treat pain
- Quality-improvement measures to assess variation and support improvement in clinical practice
- Two thresholds directed at Minnesota Health Care Program-enrolled providers with persistently concerning prescribing practices, one threshold that will trigger quality improvement and the other termination from the Minnesota Health Care Program
Read a one-page overview (PDF) of the program and prescribing guidelines.

Resources:

Prescription Monitoring Program
Safe disposal of opioids

It is important that opioids are disposed of properly and safely. There are more than 240 medication collection boxes located at law enforcement facilities and pharmacies in Minnesota. Collection sites accept all medicines from households, including prescription, over-the-counter, liquid, solid, and pet medicines. Find a site near you.
Minnesota's Opioid Action Plan
Federal Opioid Briefing Paper
Reducing the supply: Opioid Prescribing Guidelines

The Opioid Prescribing Guidelines — developed by prescribers and representatives of hospitals, academia, and quality improvement organizations — aim to curb unnecessary prescriptions and promote effective alternatives. Minnesota’s guidelines focus on post-acute care, a critical phase for preventing long-term use, and encourage compassionate care to help chronic users decrease use. The Opioid Prescribing Guidelines provide a framework for safe, appropriate opioid prescribing within the overall approach to pain management.

See the Opioid Prescribing Workgroup for more information
Making it easier to get care: Substance Use Disorder Reform

Starting in 2012, the Department of Human Services has been working to streamline and modernize the substance use disorder treatment system in Minnesota. In 2017, Governor Dayton and the Minnesota Legislature enacted new reforms, removing barriers to access substance abuse treatment for people who use Medical Assistance. The reform package allows patients to more quickly access services, and it adds important services like withdrawal management, care coordination, and peer support.
Opioid information in Spanish