Milwaukee Committee Advances Long-Term Plan for Opioid Settlement Funds

The City of Milwaukee Public Safety and Health Committee moved forward Thursday with a major plan to spend opioid settlement funds.

During an April 30 meeting at City Hall, committee members voted to recommend the adoption of a substitution resolution authorizing the spending of opioid settlement money received through nationwide legal settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors. The measure passed with four members voting in favor, while Alderman Mark Chambers Jr. abstained, being the only abstention.

The discussion drew several high-ranking city officials and public health leaders to the hearing room. Among those appearing before the committee were Milwaukee Health Department Commissioner Dr. Michael Totoraitis, Policy Innovation and Engagement Deputy Commissioner Dominique Hyatt-Oates, Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski, and Assistant Fire Chief Cori Parish.

Common Council President José Pérez, the resolution’s primary sponsor, opened the discussion by emphasizing the need for transparency and direct community impact as the city decides how to spend the settlement money.

“I had many questions about some of the direct impact in my community for the opioid settlement funds and figuring out where the direct intervention would go,” Pérez said. “We’ve had a couple of meetings and had some good information that was provided, and I just look forward to the presentation. Maybe some additional questions will come up.”

One of the central elements discussed by Dr. Totoraitis was the City OSF Budget Request for 2026–2028, which proposed distributing more than $17.1 million across four stages of substance-use and behavioral-health support. The framework was designed to address substance use at every stage, from prevention and wellness promotion to treatment and long-term recovery support.

The largest share of proposed funding would go toward substance use prevention efforts, which accounted for approximately $9.35 million. It would be mostly used to educate and support individuals and communities so that substance issues do not occur.

Another $3.58 million was proposed for initiatives focused on community wellness and creating healthier environments before issues develop.

The city’s treatment and management category would receive roughly $4.83 million to help reduce or stop substance misuse. It would also assist with improving their general health and attempt to reduce the risk of relapse.

Recovery, aftercare, and survivorship services were allocated approximately $281,250, which is the smallest category in the proposed framework. Those services would help individuals “live a self-directed life and strive to reach their full potential.”

The presentation also highlighted the work of the City of Milwaukee Substance Collaborative Work Group, which Totoraitis described as a body responsible for reviewing evidence, tracking metrics, and serving as a sounding board for future projects and funding priorities.

Chief Aaron Lipski said the proposal represents a broader shift in how the city approaches addiction and mental health challenges.

“This work group has been underway for, as the commissioner said, over a year, and it’s been a lot of learning going on in this,” Lipski said. “What I think is noteworthy about this is it takes the focus, at least from the fire department’s point of view, away from what we’ve been doing, which is crucial and critical to continue advocating for. But it recognizes the whole nose-to-tail nature of dealing with the socioeconomic conditions that contribute to mental health issues that contribute to addiction.”

Lipski also pointed to the need for supportive services beyond immediate emergency response.

“Once a person begins a recovery process, supportive care for that, housing, all these things,” he said. “Now we can’t solve every one of these problems overnight, but what we can do is support this plan.”

The vote comes as communities across Wisconsin continue struggling with the long-term effects of opioid addiction and overdose deaths. According to Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services, there were 13.7 deaths per 100,000 people across Wisconsin in 2024, with a rate of 34.3 per 100,000 in Milwaukee.

The Milwaukee Fire Department’s involvement is especially significant because paramedics and emergency responders are most likely the first to respond to incidents involving opioids.

Thursday’s meeting highlighted those pressures beyond the opioid discussion itself. Directly after the opioid motion, the committee approved a separate resolution authorizing the Milwaukee Fire Department to enter into an agreement with Managed Health Services Insurance Corp. for community paramedic services.

Earlier in the meeting, the committee had agreed on a resolution to direct the Health Department to collaborate with the Department of Employee Relations to attempt to prevent clinic closures due to staff shortages. The committee also advanced an emergency medical services agreement between the city and Milwaukee County extending through 2031.

Implemented together, the measures agreed upon showed the city government was attempting to reinforce its public health and emergency response systems amid overlapping crises involving addiction, staffing shortages, and rising service demands.

The committee’s action now sends the resolution forward in the legislative process, where it is expected to receive additional consideration by the full Common Council.

Wisconsin has been heavily affected by the opioid epidemic, as reported by the State’s DHS. Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids have contributed to rising overdose fatalities throughout the state over the last few years, with urban communities like Milwaukee experiencing some of the most severe impacts.

As the resolution moves forward, city officials now face the challenge of turning the settlement funds into measurable improvements in overdose prevention, treatment access, and long-term recovery outcomes for Milwaukee residents.