Wisconsin health officials are asking residents to help decide how the state should use the next installment of money from a multistate opioid settlement, with the public survey open through Sept. 30. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services survey asks people to identify which addiction-prevention and recovery efforts deserve funding and whether certain groups should receive priority. The questionnaire specifically considers populations such as pregnant people and those returning to their communities after incarceration. It does not collect personal information and takes about 10 minutes to complete. The state is expected to receive more than $11 million in settlement funding in 2027. Wisconsin is projected to receive more than $874 million between 2022 and 2038 under agreements involving Purdue Pharma, the Sackler family and other opioid manufacturers and distributors accused of fueling the addiction crisis. Since 2023, Wisconsin has directed more than $93 million in settlement money to opioid-response efforts. Recipients have included local health organizations, public health departments, nonprofits, counties and tribal nations. Michelle Haese, the Department of Health Services’ director of substance use initiatives, said input from people close to local conditions can help the state adjust its response and save lives. Attorney General Josh Kaul said public feedback could help officials determine how to make the funding as effective as possible. More than 1,600 people had completed this year’s survey as of Sept. 3. The department previously sought public input in 2022, 2023 and 2025, collecting responses from more than 5,000 residents across those efforts. State health officials and the Department of Justice also held community roundtables in late 2023 and early 2024. Officials say geography will be an important consideration as they plan future spending. Rural communities often have fewer basic health care services, and access to specialized addiction treatment can be even more limited. Jennifer Miller, a Department of Health Services spokesperson, said the state is working to ensure people in every part of Wisconsin can access prevention and recovery services. The settlement funding arrives as opioid deaths have declined in several parts of the state, though the crisis continues to affect communities. Kaul reported a 40% statewide decrease in opioid-related deaths from 2023 to 2024. Statewide data for 2025 was not yet available, but Milwaukee County recorded a 20% decline last year. In Dane County, opioid overdoses remained the leading cause of death for people ages 18 to 54. Provisional 2024 data showed an almost 20% decrease from 2023, when the county recorded 144 overdose deaths. Wisconsin Department of Health Services opioid settlement information and the public survey are available online.