Wisconsin opioid settlement, EMS Leave Behind Program gets $570K+
MILWAUKEE - Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul on Tuesday kicked off a series of visits with recipients of the "EMS Leave Behind Program," an effort funded through the state's opioid settlement.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice said the program allows EMS professionals to distribute – or "leave behind" – overdose prevention tools and resources at the scene of care, or after transport to a hospital, with the patient and/or their social networks (family, friends, roommates, etc.).
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"We now have secured $750 million that's going to help combat the opioid epidemic in Wisconsin," said Kaul. "EMS Leave Behind Program is an example of how those funds are being used to help make a difference in our community and help keep people safe."
The EMS Leave Behind Program presents an opportunity to expand access to life-saving tools for people at high risk for overdose and death, the DOJ said. It will supply EMS providers with funding for the purchase of naloxone, commonly known under the brand Narcan, and the purchase of fentanyl test strip supplies for distribution through a Leave Behind Program. Kits will have information in both English and Spanish.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has awarded 21 agencies $572,159 for the EMS Leave Behind Program:
Lake Geneva Fire Department: $6,990
Deer Grove EMS: $15,000
Franklin Fire Department: $11,916
Greenfield Fire Department: $15,930
Gunderson Tri State Ambulance: $10,000
Kenosha Fire Department: $6,656
Laona Rescue Unit" $17,771
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin: $15,080
Menomonee Falls Fire Department: $7,990
Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management: $40,916
Milwaukee Fire Department: $123,995
North Shore Fire and Rescue: $70,000
Northwestern Municipal EMS: $2,752
Oak Creek Fire Department: $14,999
Oconto Falls Area Ambulance: $26,740
Orange Cross Ambulance: $9,827
Portage County EMS: $15,000
Racine Fire Department: $40,493
South Milwaukee Fire Department: $58,000
St. Croix Falls Fire Department: $3,105
Beloit Fire Department: $59,000
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"In Franklin, five years prior to receiving this grant, we documented 50 confirmed overdose deaths and almost 400 suspected non-fatal overdoses in our city alone that were potentially related to opioids," said Franklin Fire Chief James Mayer. "For us, this is a program that really hits close to home and is a very big help to us."
The DOJ said Wisconsin is due to receive more than $750 million through 2038, with 30% of the funds to be used for state government projects, through the National Prescription Opiate Litigation Settlement with Opioid Distributors and Manufacturers. The remainder of the funds are for local needs as identified by the county and municipal governments that participated in the litigation. The goals of the national opioid settlement fund agreements require funding to be used for prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery support services.