The substance use epidemic has taken a heavy toll on Morrison County over the past decade. In 2014, the leading cause of emergency room visits at CHI St. Gabriel's Health, a local multifacility health care organization, was drug-seeking behavior for chronic pain. More than 100,000 doses of opioids monthly were being filled by local pharmacies in a largely rural county of only 33,000 people. The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges to addiction prevention efforts in the county, since residents were less likely to bring their unused and expired medications into local disposal sites for fear of becoming infected.

In response, the Controlled Substance Care Team was appointed in the CHI St. Gabriel's Health clinic to focus on patients who had been prescribed opioids long term. Its work resulted in the discontinuation of opioid, benzodiazepine, or stimulant prescriptions for 684 patients who had accounted for 780,000 pills prescribed in one year. In addition, the Morrison County Prescription Drug Task Force was formed, with community stakeholders meeting bimonthly to collaborate on community efforts, starting with processes to detect diversion.

The Morrison County Sheriff’s Department purchased two 48-gallon freestanding drug disposal cabinets for law enforcement agencies, in a collaboration with the Little Falls Police Department, Morrison County Public Health and Social Services, and CHI St. Gabriel’s Health; and 87 Deterra Medication Disposal Systems.