Office of Addiction and Recovery

A note from the office
June 2024

As the state fiscal year draws to a close on June 30, the Office of Addiction and Recovery (OAR) will officially be one year old. Much was accomplished over the last year and much remains yet to do. The 2024 legislative session yielded important outcomes for Minnesotans experiencing substance use disorder (SUD), including important funding for behavioral health services for Minnesotans who are incarcerated, a much-needed rate increase for residential treatment providers, and more.

Throughout the last few months, and the intense focus on the legislative session notwithstanding, OAR continued its work bringing together partners to better serve Minnesotans experiencing SUD, raising awareness about the dangers of fentanyl, and working with community to share stories of experience, strength, and hope.

Over the next several months, OAR will continue its work on several important initiatives including making sure every Minnesotan who needs it has access to the life-saving overdose reversal drug naloxone, improving access to medicines for opioid use disorder for Minnesotans who are incarcerated, and working with our many partners to ensure that every Minnesotan has access to the support, care, and resources they need to achieve and sustain long-term recovery.

News and Updates

Session Wrap-up

The 2024 legislative session ended with several important steps forward for Minnesotans experiencing SUD. While not a budget year, Governor Walz and the legislature nonetheless made significant investments and policy changes that will improve supports and services, including:

• Improving the health and safety of Minnesotans by expanding services and supports for incarcerated Minnesotans with substance use disorder
• Raising reimbursement rates for residential SUD providers
• Improving oversight of Minnesota’s peer recovery specialists
• Creating protections for people taking medicines for opioid use disorder and living in sober homes
• Repealing the sunset on the opioid manufacturer’s fee

Naloxone Saturation convening and next steps

Last summer, an interagency group from Minnesota was selected to participate in a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)-sponsored naloxone saturation policy academy to learn from other states and develop a statewide naloxone distribution action plan. The group discussed how to create a distribution policy and strategy that gets naloxone to Minnesotans in the quantity and format they need. They recognized that partners and others in the community must inform any planning. As a result, the action plan centered on convening a Minnesota-specific naloxone saturation forum that would inform the development of a statewide distribution and saturation strategy.

In May, over 50 partners joined state agency leaders and staff and discussed what naloxone saturation would look like in their communities and how to achieve it. State leaders will use the information gathered to help inform a draft statewide naloxone saturation strategy that will be shared back with partners. 

Participants at the May Naloxone Saturation Convening

MOUD in Jails workgroup

In June, a workgroup focused on increasing access to medicines for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in jails held its first full meeting. The workgroup, organized by the Minnesota Office of Addiction and Recovery in partnership with the Minnesota Medical Association and Minnesota Sheriff’s Association, is focused on identifying barriers and solutions to providing medications to help Minnesotans experiencing opioid use disorder who are incarcerated. One-in-five overdoses occurs within a year of release from incarceration, and studies from the National Library of Medicine have shown that incarcerated individuals connected to MOUD are less likely to be re-incarcerated.

Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative Opioid Settlement Funds Webinar

Following the March Law Enforcement Opioid Summit, OAR continued its work strengthening partnerships between public safety and behavioral health by co-sponsoring a webinar with the Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (PAARI) on how opioid settlement funds are being used in Minnesota and across the country. Rep. Dave Baker and Dr. Weston Merrick presented on Minnesota's approach to transparency though the Opioid Epidemic Response Advisory Council's (OERAC) dashboard of state and local government spending. A recording of the Minnesota Convening webinar is available online. To track Minnesota opioid settlement dollar spending, visit the OERAC Opioid Epidemic Response Spending Dashboard.

Task Force on Holistic and Effective Responses to Illicit Drug Use

Last legislative session a task force on holistic and effective responses to illicit drug use was passed into law, and the Office of Addiction and Recovery was directed to administer that task force. The purpose of the task force is to review the reports on approaches to address illicit drug use in Minnesota that were and are being prepared by Rise Research in accordance with legislation passed in the 2023 session.  The duties of the task force include reviewing relevant data, gathering public input, and making recommendations that include a specific implementation plan and timeline.  Anyone interested can apply for open seats appointed by the Governor at the Secretary of State’s Website.

From left to right: Jose Phipps, Phil Rutherford, LaTricia Tate, and Jeremy Drucker attend the June 27 Unity dinner

Unity Dinner

On June 27, OAR partnered with Twin Cities Recovery Project and Black Faces Black Voices of Recovery on a Unity Dinner in North Minneapolis. The dinner brought people together from across disciplines to share a meal and have important conversations about what communities are facing when it comes to illicit and unhealthy drug and alcohol use, what are the strategies that are working, and how can we partner together more to uplift the communities we serve. 

Fentanyl Awareness and Prevention Summit

OAR Director Jeremy Drucker participated in two fentanyl awareness events. One with the US Attorney’s Office in April and one with Prince’s family in June. Both events raised awareness about the dangers of fentanyl poses and effective treatment and recovery options. In each panel law enforcement and other panelists all agreed the impacts are significant, we’re not going to arrest our way of the problem, but by working together across disciplines we can get people the help they need to recover and live healthy and happy lives.

Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Tours

Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) are designed to ensure access to coordinated comprehensive behavioral health care. CCBHCs are required to serve anyone who requests care for mental health or substance use, regardless of their ability to pay, place of residence, or age. This includes developmentally appropriate care for children and youth.

There are 9 CCBHCs in Minnesota and, this summer, OAR is touring several across the state. In June, OAR made their first visit to Amherst Wilder’s CCBHC in St. Paul, where walk-in evaluations are available Monday thru Friday with no appointment needed. 

Advisory Council members Bill Messinger, Beth Elstad, Wendy Jones, and Colin Cash

Governor’s Advisory Council

The Governor’s Advisory Council on Opioid, Substance Use, and Addiction had its second meeting of the year in April at the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibway. Before the meeting the Council toured the new Mille Lacs Band human services building and learned more about the services and supports provided by Tribal Nations. After the tour Council members focused their work on looking at epidemiological data around communities that are disproportionately impacted by SUD.

In June the Council had its third meeting, where it affirmed its desire to continue working on background studies reform. This interest follows up on the Council's successful legislative priority the previous year expanding services and supports for incarcerated Minnesotans with SUD. Reforming the background studies process is critical both for ensuring the safety of Minnesotans and allowing Minnesotans in recovery to put their lived experience to work serving others going through similar struggles.

The fourth meeting will be held virtually on August 6. 

For more information you can visit the Governor’s Advisory Council on Opioids, Substance Use, and Addiction website.

In the News 

Strategies

The Office of Addiction and Recovery works across state and local governments to coordinate and align efforts, and better target the state's role in addressing addiction, treatment, and recovery. The office conducts robust public engagement to build relationships with communities to ensure people with direct experience identify key priorities to meet the needs of their communities.

Healthy Beginnings. Child Care and Early Education. Mental Health and Well-being. Housing Stability.

Contact Us.

Website: www.mn.gov/mmb/oar
Email: addictionandrecovery.mmb@state.mn.us