In partnership with the Polk County Opioid Settlement Advisory Council and Polk County Board of Commissioners, the University of Minnesota Crookston received a grant from national opioid settlement dollars to support the wellbeing of students and reduce the risk of harm from substance use. UMN Crookston was awarded $59,664 in support of a wellness coordinator and peer health educators helping to promote health and wellness on campus.
Polk County’s portion of the opioid settlement was approximately $3,241.292.04, and opened up its settlement for grant applications with requests having a focus on prevention, treatment, recovery, or harm reduction. UMN Crookston opted to increase capacity to promote peer-led wellbeing initiatives that promoted a campus culture of wellbeing through the wellness coordinator position, evidence-informed peer health educator program, and professional development for campus leaders around substance use prevention in higher education. The Crookston campus also aimed to reduce access to prescription medications by educating the campus community about locking, monitoring, and safely disposing of medications, provide students who take certain types of medications with locking storage boxes, and provide opportunities to safely dispose of medications on campus.
“Campus efforts to support the eight dimensions of Golden Eagle Wellbeing (physical, emotional, financial, environmental, occupational, social, spiritual, and intellectual) play an important role in preventing substance misuse,” said UMN Crookston Counseling Services Director Jodi Ramberg. “Before the grant, the Crookston campus did not have designated health promotion staff.”
As part of the promotion, UMN Crookston held two informational events in spring 2025 titled, “Secure. Dispose. Save Lives.” which educated students, faculty, and staff on preventing accidents, misuse, and theft of medications, and how to properly dispose of expired and unused meds. They also discussed opioid overdoses and how Naloxone can assist during critical moments.
Dive into Golden Eagle Wellbeing and resources on substance use. Learn more about how Polk County is committed to reducing the negative impacts associated with opioid use disorders and how the advisory council guided the spending of the national opioid settlement dollars.
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