Public Comment Period for Draft 2 Health Standards - Now Open
The public review and comment period for the Draft 2 K - 12 Academic Standards in Health is now open and runs to July 18, 2025.
These standards include a section on substance misuse and prevention. Learn more information about the standards review process on the Health Standards webpage including a timeline that details out the Health Standards progression as aligned to the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards Development Process.
Public comments play a powerful role in shaping Minnesota’s health education standards. Sharing your ideas especially when they are clear, respectful, and based on your experiences or examples from other standards can help make sure all students get what they need to thrive.
Your input can help ensure the standards reflect the needs of all Minnesota students and communities.
Community members invited to review proposals related to Opioid Epidemic Response Services grants
The Department of Human Services (DHS) is looking for community reviewers for proposal/grant reviews related to Opioid Epidemic Response Services grants. Eligible reviewers may receive a $100 stipend upon completion of the grant review process.
Reviewers must have professional or personal experience with opioid use disorder (OUD), including but not limited to, substance use disorder treatment providers, individuals with lived experience or their family members, and professionals working with individuals experiencing OUD (e.g., county employees, employees working with Tribes, LADCs, techs, peer recovery specialists, outreach workers, clinical trainees).
Employees of agencies applying for this grant can be a reviewer. In all cases there are requirements to ensure no conflict of interest. All reviewers will be required to sign the DHS conflict of interest policy attesting that no conflicts exist with the proposals they review.
Reviewers can improve their own grant writing and gain insight into the application process through the act of reviewing. Other benefits include:
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Expanded subject matter knowledge: Learn about issues like service gaps and potential solutions for consideration in future funding.
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Larger network of contacts: Meet members from stakeholder groups who help reduce the impact of OUD in Minnesota.
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Make a direct impact: Have a voice in improving OUD services.
Potential reviewers should complete the application form and DHS will reach out to confirm selections. For questions about serving as a reviewer, email bhd_opioid@state.mn.us with the subject line “OERAC 2025 RFP Reviewer Question.”
Governor’s Advisory Council on Opioids, Substance Use, and Addiction
On April 1, the Office of Addiction and Recovery contracted with Imagine Deliver to facilitate a workshop for council members. Held at Amherst H. Wilder Foundation in St. Paul, the session was a four-hour event focused on refining the Council’s 2025 recommendations and identifying new priority areas to inform actionable, forward-looking plans that reflect the Council’s core responsibilities and shared vision.
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Council Chair Wendy Jones opened the April workshop with goals for the day.
Council members engaged in multiple activities throughout the session designed to help focus the council on approaches to addressing substance misuse and recovery that put people at the heart of the work.
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Task Force on Holistic and Effective Responses to Illicit Drug Use
The final meeting of the Task Force on Holistic and Effective Responses to Illicit Drug Use was held June 11 where task force members completed their review of drug policing recommendations identified by Rise Research.
Those recommendations will be submitted to the legislature as an amended report. The current Task Force Legislative report can be found at the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library and on the Task Force webpage.
Monthly webinar from the Office of Addiction and Recovery
Starting in January of this year, the Office of Addiction and Recovery launched a monthly webinar series to share addiction and recovery initiatives from the office and highlight important work throughout Minnesota with presentations from state agencies and community partners.
Webinars are held the last Wednesday of each month from 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon. Visit the webinar webpage to view past presentations and register for the upcoming session.
If you have ideas for future presentations, please email them to OfficeofAddictionandRecovery.MMB@state.mn.us.
Community Engagement
In the second quarter of 2025 the Office of Addiction and Recovery continued to engage with the recovery community in multiple ways. OAR Director Jeremy Drucker gave a keynote address at the annual Fentanyl Free Gala in April and spoke at the Mental Health Faith Forum in Stillwater and at the Boots on Ground Virtual Summit in May. The Office also joined the Minnesota Department of Health at their Community Conversation about Justice Impact and Drug Overdose in June at Open Book in Minneapolis, as well as sponsored a community conversation about youth mental health and addiction in the Black Community with JK Movement in St. Paul.
Jeremy Drucker, Director of the Office of Addiction and Recovery spoke at the Mental Health Faith Forum on May 3, along with Elder Crow, Farhia Budul, Pastor Seth Perry, and Senior Public Engagement Liaison Corey Boyd from the Office of Governor Tim Walz.
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OAR Director Jeremy Drucker gave opening remarks at the Boots on the Ground virtual summit on May 10. The Summit used a community lens to explore the power of innovative, community-based approaches to helping people with opioid use disorder.
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OAR Director Jeremy Drucker gave the keynote address at the annual Fentanyl Free Communities Foundation Gala on April 25. Fentanyl Free Communities champions the critical causes of education, awareness and advocacy in the battle against fentanyl.
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On June 26, OAR staff attended a community conversation sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Health and hosted by Until We Are All Free and Tone Up.
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Antonio Williams of Tone Up and Kevin Reese
of Until We Are All Free led the event,
exploring personal and community
experiences around substance use and
justice impact.
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On June 26, the Office of Addiction and Recovery and JK Movement co-hosted a youth-focused community engagement event held at Jimmy Lee Recreation Center in St. Paul’s Rondo Community. The event brought together expert panelists to identify and discuss solutions to the alarming rise in Black youth suicide and substance misuse.
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