Dane County Harm Reduction Drop-In Center Request for Proposals Update

Hello, 

I want to share the latest update regarding the proposed harm reduction drop-in center and the request for proposals (RFP) funded with opioid settlement dollars.

Yesterday, Feb. 4, 2025, the Board of Health for Madison & Dane County took up the contract for a harm reduction center recommended through a RFP process. After careful consideration, the Board voted to postpone the resolution indefinitely — which has the same effect as a “no” vote — effectively rejecting the contract as it stood.

• Madison365 reported on yesterday's meeting. 
• The discussion about the harm reduction RFP starts at about 8 minutes. 

What happens now? 

While the Board’s action means the contract with CAYA Clinic will not move forward at this time, the opioid settlement funds — approximately $2.4 million over three years — remain available and are not lost. These dollars can still be used to support harm reduction efforts, but with a more thoughtful, accountable, and community-centered approach. Also, current harm reduction services will not end. 

I am hopeful that Public Health Madison & Dane County (PHMDC) — with the support of the Dane County Board of Supervisors — will be able to take the lead on next steps in a way that reflects best public health practice and strategic community engagement.

As PHMDC Director of Community Initiatives Aurielle Smith shared during the Board of Health meeting, this moment presents an opportunity for deeper work:

“I think there’s a lot of opportunity for us as a department to be better engaged and to help inform, from our perspective, based on the data and information and partners that we work with, how the funding could be or better distributed and used in the future,” said PHMDC Director of Community Initiatives Aurielle Smith. “One of the ways we would love to see that happen is through a comprehensive needs assessment process. There’s a lot of gaps. There’s a lot of needs around this work. People are hurting, and we can recognize that, but … we have not done that work as a department to really understand in a comprehensive way what the problem is and then produce recommendations for solutions to solve it. So from my perspective, I would really love to have the opportunity to do that.”

That means taking the time to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment — identifying gaps, understanding who is being missed, and building recommendations that are informed by data, lived experience, and trusted community partners.

District 18 Alder Carmella Glenn also shared what true harm reduction requires:

“True harm reduction work must be embedded in community trust and partnership…A harm reduction drop-in center is not merely a clinical facility. It is a community hub…PHMDC has the expertise, infrastructure and community relationships necessary to develop a comprehensive harm reduction strategy that serves our entire community effectively, rather than rushing to find a single organization through a compromised process.”

I strongly agree. This work must be done with community — not around it or in spite of it.

I also want to thank Alder Derek Field and Alder Julia Matthews for their partnership and leadership throughout this process. Back in December, they worked with me to raise concerns and co-signed a letter to the Board of Health and Dane County, calling for more clarity, accountability, and community engagement. I greatly appreciate their willingness to collaborate as doing so reflects the cross-district leadership that these complex public health challenges require.

I will continue to follow this work and keep you updated as next steps take shape. 

As always, please reach out if you have questions at district17@cityofmadison.com . 

Alder Sabrina Madison