Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed Executive Order 22-07 on Thursday that launched a new interagency subcabinet and advisory council to combat the opioid and addiction epidemic in Minnesota, according to a press release by Walz’s office.
As a result, Governor Walz will appoint a new Addiction and Recovery Director to lead addiction and recovery work as well as direct the subcabinet and advisory council, according to the press release. The Addiction and Recovery Director will report to Governor Walz and work with his office and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan to be the administration’s key point person for the state’s efforts to address opioids, substance use, and addiction in Minnesota.
“Minnesotans across the state are struggling with opioids, substance use disorder, and addiction – a crisis which has only worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Governor Walz said in a statement. “Today I’m proud to announce a new leadership position to focus these efforts, and launch a new subcabinet and advisory council to help build on the work we’re already doing to craft innovative solutions aimed at fighting addiction and saving lives in Minnesota.”
I'm proud to announce a new Addiction and Recovery Director position to manage our new Opioids, Substance Use, and Addiction Subcabinet and advisory council. Together, we’ll continue to craft innovative solutions aimed at fighting addiction and saving lives in Minnesota.
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) April 7, 2022
The Addiction and Recovery Director will break down silos and work across agencies to better target the state’s role in addressing addiction, treatment, and recovery, according to the governor’s office. The position will lead the subcabinet and the advisory council towards progress on measurable goals that track the state’s efforts in combating addiction. The Addiction and Recovery Director will also establish and manage external partnerships and build relationships with communities, community leaders, and those who have direct experience with addiction to ensure that all voices of recovery are represented in the work of the subcabinet and advisory council.
Critical to the work of the Addiction and Recovery Director will be the new Opioids, Substance Use, and Addiction Subcabinet, the Governor’s office notes. The subcabinet will identify challenges and opportunities that exist across state government with accessing treatment options and addiction-related support and recovery services and develop recommendations to overcome these barriers.
Coordination among state agencies, with input from the public, is vital to ensuring that resources are aligned to meet these challenges most effectively, according to the press release. The members of the subcabinet include the leaders of the Minnesota departments of Human Services, Health, Education, and Public Safety; Minnesota Management and Budget; the Office of Higher Education; and the Interagency Council on Homelessness. The Addiction and Recovery Director will chair the Subcabinet.
Executive Order 22-07 also establishes the Governor’s Advisory Council on Opioids, Substance Use, and Addiction, according to the governor’s office. The advisory council will be comprised of up to 15 members of the public appointed by the governor – including community leaders, individuals with direct experience with addiction, and individuals providing treatment services – and will receive and provide public input related to the subcabinet’s efforts.
An independent consultant will also be hired to conduct an independent review of the structure of the Department of Human Services, with an additional focus on addiction and treatment access, service delivery, and mental health. A similar independent review process began shortly before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and was placed on hold, the press release notes.
Minnesota has seen a significant increase in the number of opioid-related overdose deaths in the past 20 years, according to the governor’s office. The Minnesota Department of Health reported 54 overdose deaths in 2000 and 678 in 2020, with nonfatal overdoses from synthetic opioids – like fentanyl – rising 86 percent from 2019 to 2020 in Minnesota.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Minnesota Sun and The Star News Network.
Photo “Tim Walz” by Tim Walz.
