Tackling addiction within its jail walls, Ohio is marching forward, doling out much-needed funds to quell the opioid crisis gripping its incarcerated population. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, the state's top legal eagle, has unfurled a third wave of grants summing up to a cool $2 million, aiming to arm sheriffs with the means to prioritize addiction treatment for jailbirds. With this round, the program's wings spread to envelop 37 counties across the state, bringing the total bounty awarded since the inaugural grants in March to a hefty $5.6 million.
In a statement that could easily double as a pep talk, Yost said, "These grants are supplying the tools and support for addicted inmates to overcome withdrawal, get clean and improve their lives upon release." He didn't miss the chance to tip his hat to Ohio's sheriffs for "showing that recovery is always within reach," according to the Ohio Attorney General's office. But it's no secret that Ohio has been grappling with overdose rates among jail inmates, identified as a leading cause of untimely deaths with at least 70 since 2020, per a USA Today report.
The buck doesn't stop here, though. Yost's office is keeping its coffers open with a staggering promise of $60 million in opioid settlement funds over the coming years. The Opioid Remediation Grant Program flings open its purse strings, offering up to $200,000 per year per county jail to either snag a full-time addiction-services coordinator or tag a company that provides similar services. This initiative is designed to assist inmates through detox and recovery. Plus, any county with a jail in its jurisdiction can hook a $50,000 grant to stockpile medications and supplies for those wrestling an opioid withdrawal.
The recent grants pour money into various county correctional coffers: Butler County jail, Cuyahoga County jail, and Delaware County jail among others, with Delaware using its $249,891 to beef up its medication-assisted treatment (MAT) offerings. Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer underscored the impact, "This grant is a game-changer that allows us to offer MAT services for persons in the Delaware County jail and link them to treatment providers in the community when they are released," he told the Attorney General's office. Echoing this sentiment, Stark County's Sheriff Eric Weisburn detailed his office's plan to bolster its STAR program using the grant money to lower the chances of former inmates falling back into old habits.
Up in Paulding County, Sheriff Jason Landers is eyeing a significant dip in repeat offenders thanks to new addiction-treatment services in cahoots with Foundations Behavioral Health Services. According to Landers, Attorney General Dave Yost has "filled a void we’ve had in Paulding County for decades with this grant opportunity," landing a hopeful blow on recidivism. Similarly, Ross County's Sheriff George Lavender Jr. intends to leverage his grant to collaborate with the Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health Center for providing around-the-clock mental health and addiction services, a strategic move to give inmates a fighting chance post-release.
Closing the window on 2025 grant submissions on December 1, it's a race against time for Ohio's counties to make their cases for a slice of the grant pie. Application forms are ready for the taking on the Attorney General's website for those ready to make it count in the pursuit of a cleaner, safer community on the inside and out.
