Washington County Public Health and Environment received a national award for Excellence in the Application of the Opioid Litigation Principles. The county is the first jurisdiction in Minnesota selected for this award. The Principles were developed by a coalition of organizations across the substance use field as well as faculty and staff from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to guide states and localities in spending opioid settlement funds.
This recognition, awarded quarterly beginning in 2023, is given to jurisdictions that demonstrate distinction in how their decision-making process to utilize the National Opioid Settlement funds reflects the Opioid Litigation Principles. Washington County’s efforts, including its 2023 Community Input Survey and the establishment of the Opioid Settlement Council, have reflected a strong focus on racial equity as well as the development of a fair and transparent process for deciding where to spend the funding.
The Washington County Board of Commissioners recognized staff for the award on Sept. 10.