Milwaukee County highlights successes from initiatives funded by opioid litigation settlements

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley highlighted a recently released report about Milwaukee County’s strategic and data-informed efforts to combat the opioid epidemic through the effective utilization of opioid litigation settlement dollars.

The report details how Milwaukee County has deployed the historic opioid settlement funds and reaffirms the County’s commitment to utilizing these resources effectively to save lives. Last year, Milwaukee County successfully recovered $102 million in opioid litigation settlements, representing the largest amount recovered by any local government in the history of Wisconsin.

“For years, local leaders and organizations across Wisconsin have been on the frontlines of the opioid crisis. The $102 million in opioid settlement funds have the potential to be transformative, helping to save lives from this epidemic and mitigate continued suffering for residents and their loved ones,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. “We appreciate this recognition of our efforts. Looking ahead, Milwaukee County is committed to doing all we can to combat the opioid crisis, make the best use of these funds and deliver critical resources into the community – because lives depend on it.”

The Year in Review report outlined the County’s five-year strategy that is guiding opioid litigation settlements spending, with a focus on people-centered initiatives. Guided by settlement directives, funds are allocated across four key categories:

• TREATMENT: Services related to the treatment of opioid use disorder and any co-occurring substance use disorder or mental health condition through evidenced-based or evidence-informed programs or strategies.
• PREVENTION: Services related to the primary, secondary, or tertiary prevention of opioid use disorder in children, youth, or adults.
• HARM REDUCTION: Services that reduce opioid related problems and improve quality of life without primarily emphasizing sobriety or a use reduction.
• OTHER STRATEGIES: Activities related to research, training, evidence-based data collection, the surveillance of the opioid crisis, and analyzing the effectiveness of the abatement strategies.

By using an efficient allocation process and prioritizing data informed decision-making, Milwaukee County awarded approximately $16.5 million to 15 projects across four County departments.

Opioid litigation settlements funds were distributed to administer projects center around treatment, prevention, harm reduction, and other strategies. Notable projects include the implementation of 11 Harm Reduction Vending Machines and the Medicated-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Behind the Walls program.

Over the last four years, the County embarked on a transformative journey toward racial equity and inclusion. The effort made great strides in bringing down systemic barriers, amplifying diverse voices, and applying an equity lens to all of our work.

“We navigated through the pandemic and recommitted to improving the health and safety of our communities, guiding our efforts in mental health initiatives, youth suicide prevention, and public safety partnerships to support our most vulnerable residents,” said County Executive Crowley. “And we worked with both political parties to address our fiscal challenges and secure the county’s financial future.”

In April of 2024, Milwaukee County received the “Award for Excellence in the Application of the Opioid Litigation Principles” for the County’s effective utilization of opioid litigation settlement dollars, awarded by a coalition of organizations from across the spectrum of the substance-use field and coordinated by faculty from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The quarterly awards are based on a set of evidence-based guidelines called the Principles for the Use of Funds from the Opioid Litigation. The award and principles were developed by a coalition of organizations from across the spectrum of the substance use field and coordinated by faculty from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Last year, Milwaukee County successfully recovered $102 million in opioid litigation settlements, representing the largest amount recovered by any local government in the history of Wisconsin. Milwaukee County is receiving this recognition for deploying the opioid settlement funds effectively and equitably.

“For years, local leaders and organizations across Wisconsin have been on the frontlines of the opioid crisis. The $102 million in opioid settlement funds have the potential to be transformative for our community, helping to save lives from this epidemic and mitigate continued suffering for residents and their loved ones,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. “We appreciate this recognition of our efforts. Looking ahead, Milwaukee County is committed to doing all we can to combat the opioid crisis, make the best use of these funds and deliver critical resources into the community – because lives depend on it.”

“This report details our impactful efforts thus far in deploying opioid settlement funds throughout the community. Looking ahead, Milwaukee County is committed to doing all we can to combat the opioid crisis, make the best use of these funds and deliver critical resources into the community – because lives depend on it,” added County Executive Crowley.

May 19 was the fifth anniversary of Milwaukee County declaring racism a public health crisis, setting a national precedent and leading the charge for municipalities across the country to follow. Since that time, the County has navigated historic challenges, implemented life-changing policies, and expanded community services, all with a vision of achieving racial equity at the center.