BE IT RESOLVED, that Agreement A2110773 with the Minnesota Department of Human Services for Opioid Response Services during the period May 1, 2021, through September 29, 2022 in the receivable amount of $481,739, be approved; that the Chair of the Board be authorized to sign the agreement on behalf of the county; and that the Controller be authorized to accept and disburse funds as directed; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Human Services and Public Health expenditure budget be increased by $226,700, and that the revenue budget also be increased by $226,700; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Human Services and Public Health Department staffing complement be increased by 3.0 permanent FTE; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that sponsorship and acceptance of grant funding for this program by the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners does not imply a continued funding commitment by Hennepin County for this program if grant funds become no longer available.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services awarded Opioid Response funding to the Public Health, Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) Program to increase access to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) services. With this funding the HCH Program will provide MAT services to all persons experiencing homelessness and opioid addiction with specific outreach and retention services for American Indians experiencing homelessness and opioid addiction.

Not only are substance use disorders unjustly distributed to American Indians, the fatality rate is also elevated. In 2016, American Indians were six times more likely to die from a drug overdose than whites. Further, COVID-19 has exacerbated the struggles of people with Opioid Use Disorder and has led the HCH Program’s MAT team to mobilize and adapt services accordingly. HCH intends to improve outcomes through expanded care coordination and increased community provider capacity.

This funding will increase the HCH Program staff complement to include a LICSW, Registered Nurse and Case Management Assistant. The additional staff will perform within the mobile outreach program’s on-demand treatment system meaning patients can receive services at multiple walk-in clinics without an appointment or be seen at shelter, street, and other locations as best for each individual. The HCH MAT Program has a robust low-barrier approach locating and working with people who do not have identification, addresses or housing.

Intensive care coordination and anticipating patient needs ahead of time is central to this endeavor. HCH will deliberately organize the complex and unique patient care activities and share information among interdisciplinary providers. This funding will increase patients served in the MAT Program by ten percent annually.

APEX Information
Revenues: $266,700.00
Fund: 20
Department ID: 532099
Project ID: 1008484
Account/Source: State 42360
Amount (Total): $226,700.00