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Hennepin County > Projects and initiatives > Opioid crisis

Opioid crisis

Our community is facing an opioid crisis. In 2023, more than 10,000 emergency room or hospital visits involved opioids, and 373 lives were lost to opioid-related overdoses. A big reason for the rise in these deaths is the spread of fentanyl and fentanyl-laced drugs. Fentanyl is involved in over 95% of opioid-related deaths in Hennepin County. 

Understanding the risks of opioids, especially fentanyl, can save lives.

Community events

  • Events and trainings May 2025 calendar
  • Meetings and services May 2025 calendar

Questions or feedback?

opioidresponse@hennepin.us

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Opioid services Requests for Proposals

2026-2027 Opioid Community Contracts

Hennepin County is accepting proposals for 2-year contracts with community-based organizations for prevention, response, and treatment/recovery of opioid use disorder. The proposals should emphasize disparity reduction with a focus on the most impacted, including the African American and American Indian communities.

The Request For Proposals (RFP) application is open.

Proposal timeline

  • Proposals due: Wednesday, May 7, 2025, by 1 p.m.
  • RFP released: Wednesday, March 12, 2025 
  • Closing date for questions: Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Post-release information session, March 18

  • Post-release meeting recording (YouTube link)

Pre-release meeting information session, March 3

  • Pre-release meeting recording (YouTube link)
  • Pre-release meeting slides (PDF, 1MB) 

How to apply

All interested applicants are asked to register in the Hennepin County Supplier Portal as soon as possible. Application materials are viewable from the Supplier Portal without registration, but organizations must be registered within the Supplier Portal in order to submit a proposal.

Opioid East African peer recovery support services 

Hennepin County is soliciting proposals for Opioid East African peer recovery support services provided to youth between 13 and 18 years of age in the East African community. This RFP is seeking one (1) organization to provide the youth peer recovery support services.

Proposal timeline

  • Proposal due: Monday, June 9, 2025, by 1 p.m.
  • RFP released: April 14, 2025
  • Closing date for questions: Monday, April 28, 2025

Post-release information session, April 21

  • Post-release recording (YouTube link)

How to apply 

All interested applicants are asked to register in the Hennepin County Supplier Portal as soon as possible. Application materials are viewable from the Supplier Portal without registration, but organizations must be registered within the Supplier Portal in order to submit a proposal.

 

Data and understanding the opioid epidemic

Opioid data dashboards

Substance involved emergency and hospital visits in Hennepin County data – Power BI dashboard

Opioid-related deaths of county and state residents data – Power BI dashboard

 

Opioid overdose deaths remain elevated in Hennepin County

 Chart showing opioid-related deaths in Minnesota declined in 2023 while Hennepin County remained steady. In 2023, Hennepin County had 373 opioid-related deaths and Minnesota had 961.

Opioid-related deaths decline in Minnesota, but Hennepin County deaths remain elevated.

Source: Minnesota death certificates, MDH. 2022-2023 data are preliminary; Hennepin County geocoded death data, CDC. 

Most opioid overdoses involve fentanyl

Fentanyl is a prescription opioid that’s also made and sold illegally. It’s up to 50 times stronger than heroin and up to 100 times stronger than morphine. Fentanyl is driving recent increases in opioid overdose deaths. 

People may not know they’re taking fentanyl because it’s mixed into fake pills and other drugs. Fentanyl can be addictive and deadly, even in small amounts. 

Opioid-related deaths involving fentanyl in Hennepin County

Chart showing opioid-related deaths are driven by fentanyl. In 2023, 94% of opioid-related deaths involved fentanyl.

Source: Hennepin County geocoded death data, CDC.

Opioid effects are worse for some groups

The opioid epidemic impacts people from all walks of life, but disproportionately affects certain groups. 

In Minnesota, American Indian people and African American people experience higher rates of opioid-related deaths and hospitalizations. 

These differences are influenced by disparities in the social determinants of health, such as housing, food, healthcare, and economic well-being.

The bigger picture, non-fatal overdoses

Overdose deaths are only a part of the picture. Non-fatal overdoses, hospitalizations, injuries, and trauma are all preventable harms related to the opioid epidemic. 

For more information, visit the Minnesota Department of Health's opioid overdose prevention page. 

Hennepin County’s response

Hennepin County's approach recognizes that the opioid epidemic is complex and requires a multi-faceted health and safety response. 

Our response

To date, the following work has been accomplished:

Prevention

  • Developed an opioid data collection and sharing tool
  • Supported and obligated providers to use best practice prescribing guidelines
  • Promoted safe storage and environmentally-sound disposal

Response

  • Ensured all first responders, necessary county employees and targeted stakeholders have access to and training to administer naloxone
  • Coordinated two county operated safe syringe services and naloxone distribution

Treatment and recovery

  • Implemented substance use disorder (SUD) reform in Hennepin County
  • Sought new state and federal opioid grant opportunities
  • Ensured contracts have medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) accommodations
  • Increased treatment options (MOUD) and transition planning in correctional settings and throughout county clinical settings

Eliminating disparities

  • Increased external and internal substance use disorder (SUD) data infrastructure
  • Launched multi-year contracts with community organizations who provide culturally relevant response and prevention services to American Indian, African American, unsheltered homeless, and Somali/East African communities

Learn more about the strategic framework

  • 2024 Opioid prevention strategic framework (PDF, 1 MB)
  • 2024 Opioid stakeholder engagement report (PDF, 1 MB)
  • 2024 Opioid prevention community partners (PDF, 1MB)
  • 2024 Opioid prevention county provided services (PDF, 1MB)
  • 2018 Opioid prevention strategic framework- strategy and pillars (PDF, 1MB)
  • Study: Criminal Justice System as a Point of Intervention to Prevent Opioid-related Deaths, 2018 (PDF, 1 MB)
  • Amended Minnesota Opioids State-Subdivision Memorandum of Agreement (state.mn.us)
  • WATCH: Hennepin County Opioid Framework Overview for Municipalities Public Meeting recording -  December, 12, 2024
Printable overview in English, Spanish, Somali, and Hmong
English - Hennepin County opioid resources (PDF, 1MB)

Espanol (Spanish) - Recursos para opioides del condado de Hennepin (PDF, 1MB)

Hmoob (Hmong) - Kev pab txog tshuaj loog opioid hauv Cheeb Nroog Hennepin (PDF, 1MB)

Soomaali (Somali) - Tasiilaadka Maandooriyaha ee Degmada Hennepin (PDF, 1MB)
Safe storage and disposal

Safe storage and disposal prevents people from accessing medications that weren't prescribed to them. Protect your friends and family with these precautions:

  • Safe medication storage
  • Proper medicine disposal
  • Safe disposal of needles and sharps

The Hennepin County Sherriff's Office (HCSO) distributes free medication disposal bags at their office locations and by mail. They also host naloxone trainings. Learn more about opioid overdose prevention.

Overdose response and harm reduction

Naloxone (or Narcan)

Naloxone (or Narcan) is a medicine that can reverse opioid overdoses. Find naloxone near you with NaloxoneFinder.

Syringe services programs

Syringe services programs prevent the spread of infectious disease and overdose deaths by providing: 

  • Education about overdose prevention and harm reduction 
  • Access to naloxone, syringes, and other safer-use supplies 
  • Disposal of syringes and medications 
  • Vaccination, testing, and treatment resources for HIV and hepatitis B and C 
  • Referrals to health care and substance use treatment services

Learn more about syringe services programs:

  • Red door syringe services
  • NorthPoint harm reduction and testing services
  • Twin Cities syringe exchange calendar (PDF, 1MB)
Treatment and recovery

Substance use disorder is treatable, and recovery is possible.

  • Search substance use service openings on Fast-Tracker  
  • Find medication for opioid use disorder services

If you are a provider, please visit information for mental health and substance use service providers.

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