(Pierre, SD) — South Dakota leaders are teaming up to take a big swing at drug addiction. Attorney General Marty Jackley is working with the mayors of Sioux Falls and Rapid City to put 31-million dollars in opioid settlement money to use right away. That’s part of a larger 79-million total the state expects from companies tied to the crisis. Jackley says mayors know where the help is most needed and already have programs like The Link and Care Campus in place. Mayor TenHaken says the funding could supercharge those efforts, and Mayor Salamun says the impact could reach far beyond treatment, including cutting down on crime too. The next step for them is convincing lawmakers to release the funds now and not later.
