So far Vernon County has received $450,702 of $21 million in opioid settlement funds in Wisconsin, where is it being used?

Jan. 22, 2025

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) awarded agencies in communities across the state more than $21 million from the state’s latest share of opioid settlement funds from October through December of 2024, the largest amount awarded in a quarterly period since Wisconsin began receiving funds in 2022 from the national litigation against pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmaceutical distributors, and pharmacy chains. Grants awarded support projects designed to prevent non-medical use of opioids, reduce the harms of opioid use, and expand access to treatment and recovery supports for people with an opioid use disorder.

“This funding continues to embrace evidence-based approaches to meet people where they’re at,” said DHS Director of Substance Use Initiatives Michelle Haese. “We are making intentional investments in supports and services for Wisconsinites, ultimately helping to improve and save the lives of people experiencing substance misuse or substance use disorders.”

Dollars are being spent on harm reduction efforts, treatment and recovery programs, capital projects, and education allowing Tribal and law enforcement agencies to better support their communities:

• Building projects, $7.7 million
• Tribal nation abatement, $6 million
• Law enforcement abatement, $3 million
• Naloxone, $3 million
• Room and board costs for Medicaid members in residential substance use disorder treatment, $2,750,000
• Substance use disorder treatment platform, $1.2 million

Two years ago, the Attorney General announced final approval of an agreement with the nation’s top three major pharmaceutical distributors (Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen) and Johnson & Johnson, known as the National Prescription Opiate Litigation Case Number MDL 2804. Payments from the distributors will continue for 14 more years. Payments from Johnson & Johnson will continue for seven more years. Wisconsin also began receiving money this year from settlements reached with Teva, Allergan, Walmart, Walgreens, and CVS.

DHS has received approximately $75 million in proceedings from National Prescription Opiate Litigation, Case Number MDL 2804, and is due to receive approximately $153 million in additional settlement funds through 2038. This equates to the state’s share of the settlement, which is allocated to DHS to invest in opioid abatement initiatives across the continuum of care.

DHS is asking state residents to weigh in on how best to use the state’s share of state fiscal year 2026 opioid settlement funds to reduce harms associated with opioid use disorder, identify potential barriers and existing needs/service gaps, and in turn, save lives. Wisconsinites can make recommendations in the Opioid Settlement Public Input Survey launched today and open until February 28, 2025.

“We’ve made so much progress in addressing the state’s opioid epidemic and saving lives, yet there is still work to do and Gov. Evers and DHS remain focused on supporting the physical, mental, and social well-being of every Wisconsinite with services across the continuum of care,” said DHS Director of Substance Use Initiatives Michelle Haese. “Everyone’s voice is critical as we plan for using this next round of settlement funds.”

While data for 2024 has yet to be finalized, 2023 data show there were 1,421 opioid overdose deaths in Wisconsin, compared to 1,464 in 2022. This reflects a decline in overdose deaths seen across the nation and shows community efforts recommended by the people of our state and funded with these settlement dollars are saving lives.

Find past plans, quarterly reports, and information about the opioid settlement funds on the DHS website. Learn more about the Dose of Reality initiative focused on opioids in Wisconsin that promotes strategies to save lives through prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery supports.

Attend any or all of three DHS events in 2025 related to substance use:

• May 6-8, 2025: Opioids, Stimulants, and Trauma Summit
• July 16-17, 2025: Harm Reduction Conference
• September 10-11, 2025: Substance Use Prevention Conference

Vernon County’s Opioid Abatement Efforts

To date Vernon County has received $450,702 in payments and the schedule of payments shows the county will receive as much $1.35 million by 2038, if the payments continue.

Vernon County formed an Opioid Prevention and Abatement Committee when they learned they would be receiving money from these legal settlements. The committee consists of two representatives from the Vernon County Board of Supervisors as well as community members from the medical, educational and public health sectors. Members include County Board of Supervisor Representatives Mary Henry and Martha Olson. Community Representatives include Martha Karlstad, Linzi Gronning, Duane Koons, Kristina Reser-Jaynes and Steven Palmer.

The committee meets monthly and has mainly focused on providing grants to people and organizations that are engaged in opioid prevention activities.

Heidi Overson lost her daughter to opioids and started the Amara Rose Foundation that received one of the grants. Overson said the grant has enabled her organization to raise the awareness in the community about the dangers of opioids, and fentanyl in particular.

You can read our previous story about the Amara Rose billboard campaign here.

Overson said the grant enabled them to put up two billboards in Readstown, two on Highway 14 across from WVRQ, and one on Highway 14 between Westby and Coon Valley. Overson said the billboards will be up until late summer/early fall and they have received many comments from people who’ve seen them.

“We know a few people who told us they got Narcan because of one of the messages,” said Overson. “The rest are good reminders to people who drive by. One person said they didn’t know fentanyl can show up in certain candies if lace, like gummy bears and hard candies.”

Overson said the grant also allowed them to buy 16 banners and 140 yard signs.

“We contacted every town in our county,” said Overson. “Each town took banners and yard signs. Viroqua’s banners ended up on the high school football field’s fencing during football season. We are working with the booster club now to get one up inside Viroqua High School.”

De Soto and Westby High School is hanging one up in their school.

Overson said all of the towns prominently displayed their banners. Coon Valley still has one up and Chaseburg has two up on the fencing by their walking trail.

“We have received email from people who have seen them and love the reminders” said Overson. “There are banners up in De Soto and Genoa yet, too. And the Thirsty Turtle took one and has it hanging on their building. Viroqua had two outside of AmericInn all summer. We took them down before winter, as they were getting whipped around pretty good. We’ll get them back up in the spring.”

Overson said they have seen a huge response to their campaign and the materials were spread widely.

“We distributed 140 yard signs that the grant paid for and an additional 50 that the foundation paid for,” said Overson. “They were all gone within a couple of months. They were seen in yards and in front of businesses all over the county. The ones we paid for went to places outside of Vernon County, including in La Crosse, Sparta, Caledonia, Minn., La Crescent, Minn. and Iowa.”

“I have noticed that many people have taken them down during winter, and I’m really hoping they’ll go back up in the spring,” said Overson. We are grateful to have received this grant. It really made an impact that will continue.”

For more information and video go to https://naturalhigh.org.

Amara Rose Foundation story video.