Building Long-Term Treatment Capacity in Wood County, Wisconsin with Opioid Settlement Funds
Rural communities often face shortages of substance use treatment clinicians, requiring residents to travel greater distances to receive care and creating barriers to treatment engagement.
Residents in Wood County, Wisconsin, which has a significant rural population, are familiar with these barriers. Substance use treatment and other safety net healthcare services are limited in South Wood County. Currently, many individuals must travel to the northern part of the county to receive care, though there are limited public transportation options and drive times often exceed 45 minutes. According to Sue Smith, Director of Wood County’s Health Department, access to substance use disorder treatment in South Wood County has consistently been identified as a top need.
To address this gap, Wood County is supporting the construction of a new Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in South Wood County. FQHCs are federally funded, community-based safety net providers that deliver comprehensive primary care services regardless of patients’ insurance status or ability to pay. In addition to providing a set of required “primary health services,” many FQHCs offer additional health services such as substance use disorder treatment, which will be a foundational component of Wood County’s new facility.
Construction of the new facility is being supported by multiple funding sources, including local opioid settlement dollars, and is expected to begin in Fall 2026.
Wood County’s use of opioid settlement funds to develop a new FQHC is noteworthy for multiple reasons.
1. Opioid settlement dollars were strategically allocated to meet the project’s funding target.
While financial support had been secured from a variety of sources—including American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, congressionally directed spending, local foundations, and the treatment provider that will operate the facility—additional support was needed for the project to move forward. Wood County invested $550,000 of its opioid settlement dollars to fill this final gap in funding.
2. The new facility will increase access to integrated substance use treatment services.
A significant focus of the new FQHC’s services will be providing substance use disorder treatment, including evidence-based medications for opioid use disorder such as buprenorphine, substance use counseling, and peer recovery support. Individuals receiving substance use treatment through the FQHC will also have the benefit of being able to access integrated primary care, dental, and case management services under one roof. Integrated substance use treatment in primary care settings has been associated with fewer hospital days and ED visits. Oral health is also a critical component of whole-person care that can often be affected by opioid use disorder.
The new facility’s location will be two blocks away from the county’s Human Services Department, which also provides supportive services to individuals with substance use disorder. This strategic location is intended to promote care coordination and create a supportive infrastructure for community members and families impacted by substance use. As the county works on additional transportation solutions, the new facility in South Wood County will bring treatment services closer to residents, reducing transportation barriers and improving access to substance use treatment
3. Opioid settlement dollars, a finite funding source, are being used to develop new treatment infrastructure that can be sustained through other funding sources.
Sustainability is a critical consideration when allocating opioid settlement funds given their time-limited nature. FQHCs can receive reimbursement from Medicaid and Medicare for services provided, and are eligible for federal health center grants. As a result, this investment provides an opportunity for Wood County to build long-term capacity for substance use treatment that can be sustained through other funding sources beyond the life of the settlements.
Alignment with the Principles
- Principle 1—Spend the Money to Save Lives: Local settlement dollars are being used to open a new facility that can sustainably expand access to substance use treatment and integrated, whole-person care for individuals with substance use disorder.