Wisconsin DHS Seeks Input on How to Spend Next Round of Opioid Settlement Funds

Friday, January 27th, 2023 -- 8:01 AM

(Raymond Neupert, WRN) The Department of Health Services has another 8 million dollars in settlement funding stemming from lawsuits against opioid manufacturers.

The State Department of Health Services is taking suggestions on how best to spend 8 million dollars in opioid settlement funding. Director of Opioid Initiatives Paul Krupski says that's far less than the state received last year but still significant. "8 million is a lot less than 31 million. So there's just going to have to be some tough decisions that are made."

Krupski says any choices that are made by DHS will have to be approved by the legislature's Republican-controlled joint finance committee. "Last year's plan, they ended up approving about 85% of what the Department of Health Services proposed. And they made a few you know, a few alterations in there as well."

Last year's proposal went towards assisting the state's tribal nations with their drug abatement programs, as well as improving the state's own treatment facilities. You can find out more online at D H S dot W I dot Gov, and searching for opioid survey.

Krupski says they're asking for public input on how best to spend that funding. "We are really at the process right now of that data gathering, and making sure that we have everything we need to really look and determine what the best ways of using this funding would be or the best ways to propose that to the legislature for their consideration and approval."

The department had over 30 million dollars to work with last year and used it to help the state's tribes and to improve drug treatment facilities. You can find out more online at D H S dot W I dot Gov, and searching for opioid survey.

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