minnesota department of health

MDH supports unprecedented amount of overdose prevention work across Minnesota

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has awarded more than 55 overdose prevention grants and contracts to community-based organizations, health systems, Tribal nations, counties and other organizations across the state following receipt of historic investment in drug overdose prevention through the Comprehensive Drug Overdose and Morbidity Prevention Act [ [link removed] ] (COMPA) in 2023. The agency received $24 million for this work.

The funding has allowed MDH to support a variety of programs, communities and initiatives with the aim of meeting people where they are in their recovery journey to prevent overdoses.

“Preventing overdoses requires a multi-faceted approach that is holistic, data driven and community centered,” said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Brooke Cunningham. “We have been working with partners and communities to develop and enhance programs to help prevent overdoses and connect people to treatment or other services when needed.”

The drug overdose epidemic continues to impact thousands of people in Minnesota each year. In 2022, there were 1,384 overdose deaths – an average of three Minnesotans dying each day from a drug overdose. Additionally, for every one drug overdose death, there were nearly 13 nonfatal drug overdoses.

Minnesota resident drug overdose deaths increased slightly from 2021 to 2022 (1,356 to 1,384 deaths), according to MDH data. Continued efforts to prevent drug use, decrease disparities in overdose rates, support harm reduction for people who use drugs and provide evidence-informed programming to encourage recovery are still needed.

“The funds provided through COMPA are vital to Minnesota’s work in preventing overdoses and addressing key factors that contribute to drug use and improve access to resources,” said Dr. Catherine Diamond, manager of MDH’s Injury and Violence Prevention Section. “We value the work of our community, Tribal, and clinic partners and are grateful to have the opportunity to support their work with meaningful funding.”

COMPA enabled MDH to award grants for culturally specific overdose prevention efforts to address unmet needs in the African American and American Indian communities. Funds have also been allocated to support the overdose-prevention efforts of the 11 Tribal nations who share borders within Minnesota.

Racial disparities in overdose mortality rates in Minnesota are notable. In 2022, for example, American Indians/Alaska Natives were 10 times more likely to die of an overdose than whites, and Black/African Americans were almost four times more likely to die of an overdose than whites in Minnesota.

The services provided by these grantees will be focused on overdose prevention education, naloxone outreach and cultural connection to community healing. This vital culturally specific work aims to support Tribal nations and nonprofit health organizations in making significant contributions to improving the health and wellbeing of their community members.

“Minnesota is strongest when everyone thrives and lives their lives to the highest potential, including the tens of thousands of Minnesotans experiencing substance use disorder," said Jeremy Drucker, director of the Office of Addiction and Recovery. "These investments by the Walz-Flanagan Administration will support overdose prevention efforts across a spectrum of services and make recovery possible for more people across Minnesota.”

For more information on COMPA, see Comprehensive Drug Overdose Legislative Report 2024 (PDF) [ [link removed] ].

For more information on Minnesota’s overdose prevention work, see Opioid Overdose Prevention [ [link removed] ].

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*Scott Smith *
*MDH Communications*
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