Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Office receives $350K for opioid epidemic

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - The Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Office is getting more funding to combat the opioid epidemic.

The sheriff’s office received a $350,000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. The funding will add an additional pill or medication drop box in the jail. It will also provide treatment education for jail staff and other law enforcement agencies in Eau Claire County.

Sheriff Dave Riewestahl said the funding will also support the community.

“The final step and the biggest one is going to be a collaborative effort with DHS, working on a peer support network to help those who have an opioid use disorder and find them resources within the community instead of incarceration,” Riewestahl said.

Riewestahl said current harm reduction strategies in Eau Claire County include dispensing Narcan and fentanyl testing strips for free.

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