The opioid crisis has touched nearly every community in America, including right here in Crawford County. What many people may not realize is that recent progress in addressing this epidemic has come, in part, from hard-fought legal action. Through nationwide opioid lawsuits, state and local governments successfully held major pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in fueling opioid addiction. As a result, billions of dollars have been awarded to support prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts across the country.
From these settlements, Missouri established a structured system to ensure funds are used responsibly and effectively through funding committees, empowering counties like ours to directly address the needs of our communities. These funds are not just symbolic—they are being actively put to work.
In Crawford County, our commissioners and the funding committee: Opioid Fund Disbursement Board (OFDB) are already taking action by reviewing applications and supporting projects focused on prevention and education. One such project aims to confront the growing fentanyl crisis in a powerful and deeply personal way.
A proposed initiative will place a billboard along the I-44 corridor to raise awareness about fentanyl use and its deadly consequences. This billboard will feature photos of individuals—our loved ones, neighbors, and friends—who have lost their lives to fentanyl, along with their ages at the time of passing. The goal is simple but urgent: to remind every person who sees it that “one pill can kill” and to prevent others from making a life-ending decision.
This project falls directly in line with approved uses of opioid settlement funds, specifically prevention education through public awareness campaigns. It also reflects the reality our community faces—addiction, crime, strained families, and tragic loss due to fentanyl and other opioids.
Community involvement is critical to making this effort meaningful. Families who wish to honor their loved ones and help save lives by sharing their pictures will be asked to provide consent through a required waiver before any images are used.
This is more than a billboard—it is a call to action, a memorial, and a warning.
If you would like more information or to submit a photo of a loved one, please contact: Denise Mueller via email: dmuel747@gmail.com or 573-205-2456 (please leave a message).
Together, we can turn tragedy into awareness—and awareness into prevention.
Sincerely,
Denise Mueller
OFDB Secretary
Crawford County
