Number
260007
Version
SUBSTITUTE 1
Reference
211799, 220562, 221904, 240557, 240813, 250874
Sponsor
ALD. PEREZ AND JACKSON
Title
Substitute resolution authorizing the expenditure of opioid settlement funds.
Analysis
This resolution authorizes the expenditure of settlement funds related to National Prescription Opiate litigation for the Milwaukee Fire Department’s Milwaukee Overdose Response Initiative (MORI) and the Milwaukee Health Department to fund opioid harm reduction strategies.
Body
Whereas, On January 29, 2020, the City of Milwaukee joined the National Prescription Opiate multidistrict litigation; and
Whereas, Common Council File Number 211799, adopted March 22, 2022, directed that settlement funds received in the opioid litigation be used to fund the Milwaukee Overdose Response Initiative and other harm-reduction strategies; and
Whereas, Common Council File Number 220562, adopted August 12, 2022, authorized City officials to accept an initial settlement payment of up to $2,000,000, and to accept future settlement disbursements arising from the same litigation of up to $18,000,000 in aggregate, into a segregated account; and
Whereas, Common Council File Numbers 221904 and 240557, adopted April 18, 2023 and July 30, 2024, respectively, authorized the proper City officials to opt into additional opioid settlements for which the City is eligible for new settling defendants in the settlement of the National Prescription Opiate multidistrict litigation in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio Eastern Division, case no. 20-op-45044-DAP; and
Whereas, The City has received settlement payments totaling approximately $12.7 million to date; and
Whereas, Common Council File Number 240813 transfers settlement funds from the General Fund to the Special Revenue Fund -Settlement Fund and establishes a parent project account within the Special Revenue Fund -Settlement Fund from which funds may be appropriated to City departments through Common Council action; and,
Whereas, the Health Department and Fire Department have significant experience and expertise in dealing with the impact of opioid addiction and overdose prevention; and,
Whereas, the Health Department and Fire Department have developed a community-informed and evidence-based strategy for addressing the spectrum of health issues arising from substance misuse and opioid addiction, attached to this file as Exhibit 1; and,
Whereas, On April 21, 2026, Common Council File Number 250874 appropriated $1,679,792 for the Milwaukee Overdose Response Program to ensure that the program had funding through the end of 2026; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Comptroller is authorized to:
1. Commit funds within the Project Parent of the 2026 Special Revenue-Settlement Fund, the following amounts for the project titled Milwaukee Overdose Response Initiative:
Project OP0002400000
Fund 0180
Org 9990
Program 0001
Budget Year 0000
Subclass R999
Account 000600
Project Grantor Share
Amount $6,562,808
2. Commit funds within the Project Parent of the 2026 Special Revenue-Settlement Fund, the following amounts for the project titled Opioid Settlement Funds:
Project OP0002400000
Fund 0180
Org 9990
Program 0001
Budget Year 0000
Subclass R999
Account 000600
Project Grantor Share
Amount $8,493,300
; and, be it
Further Resolved, That these funds are budgeted for the Milwaukee Fire Department and Milwaukee Health Department, which are authorized to
1. Expend from the amount budgeted for specified purposes consistent with the settlement agreement and strategic plan;
2. Expend these funds for specific items of equipment; and,
3. Expend these funds for training and out-of-town travel by departmental staff; and,
4. Enter into grant awards and leases as detailed in the plan and budget
; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Health Department shall present final program process and outcome evaluation metrics to the Common Council within 90 days after completion of the program’s request for proposals process; and, be it
Further Resolved, That if no request for proposals process is utilized or if such process is delayed, the Health Department shall present such metrics to the Common Council within 90 days after the initial authorization or implementation of the program, as determined by the Health Department; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Fire Department shall present final program process and outcome evaluation metrics to the Common Council in coordination with the Health Department; and, be it
Further Resolved, That program evaluation metrics for the Fire Department’s Milwaukee Overdose Response Initiative and Health Department’s opioid mitigation programs shall be developed in collaboration with the Legislative Reference Bureau, with an emphasis on quantitative results attributable to program activities to support evaluation of program effectiveness; and, be it
Further Resolved, That program evaluation metrics shall include baseline measurements, to the extent practicable, established prior to or at the initiation of program activities, and standardized metric categories, including, but not limited to, response, deployment, and outcome measures, to enable consistent evaluation of program performance; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the collection of process and outcome evaluation metrics shall be incorporated as a requirement in any contract with an organization implementing opioid harm reduction programming, consistent with program goals and reporting capacity; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Fire and Health Departments shall utilize a standardized reporting format for the submission of program evaluation results to the Common Council, developed in coordination with the Legislative Reference Bureau, to promote clarity and comparability across reporting periods and program activities; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Fire and Health Departments shall submit a quarterly briefing of program evaluation results to the Common Council, coinciding with the Health Department’s reporting to the Board of Health; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Fire and Health Departments shall submit annual written reports of program evaluation results to the Common Council, beginning April 1, 2027, including year-over-year comparisons and analysis of program outcomes; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the City Comptroller is authorized and directed to establish the necessary accounts and accounting procedures to carry out the intent of this resolution; and, be it
Further Resolved, that the City Comptroller is authorized and directed to transfer any remaining 2025 funds from the City’s General Fund (0001-9990-0001-S250-006300) to the Special Revenue Fund - Settlement Fund (0180-9990-0001-009300)
Further Resolved, That the Comptroller shall not sign any agency agreement that uses funds from the Settlement Fund as authorized by this resolution unless first referred to the City Clerk for signature as to compliance with the terms of this resolution.
Requestor
DOA-Budget and Management Division
Drafter
BUDGET\2026budget\2026 Budget Resolutions\250874AssignSettlementFund
LRB 181582-2
Bryan Rynders, Christopher Hillard
4/26/2026