Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has awarded $2 million in grants to 11 county jails to support addiction treatment for inmates. This is the third round of funding, expanding the program to 37 counties across Ohio. Since the first round of grants was announced in March, more than $5.6 million has been distributed.
“These grants are supplying the tools and support for addicted inmates to overcome withdrawal, get clean and improve their lives upon release,” Yost said. “My thanks to Ohio’s sheriffs for showing that recovery is always within reach.”
Yost’s office plans to provide a total of $60 million from opioid settlement funds over several years. Overdose remains a leading cause of death among jail inmates in Ohio, with at least 70 deaths reported since 2020 according to USA Today.
The Opioid Remediation Grant Program provides up to $200,000 per year for each county jail to hire an addiction-services coordinator or contract with service providers. Counties can also apply for a $50,000 grant specifically for medications and supplies needed during opioid withdrawal.
This round’s recipients include: Butler County jail ($169,998), Cuyahoga County jail ($193,200), Delaware County jail ($249,891), Mercer County jail ($128,000), Paulding County jail ($128,000), Pike County jail ($170,000), Ross County jail ($248,500), Stark County jail ($227,442), Tuscarawas County jail ($208,909), Van Wert County jail ($128,000) and Wayne County Justice Center ($227,347).
Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer of Delaware County noted that two-thirds of his facility’s inmates required detox or withdrawal care in 2024. He stated: “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. Studies have shown that MAT, when combined with therapy, increases the chances of long-term recovery, thus reducing recidivism.”
Stark County Sheriff Eric Weisburn commented on building upon his office’s existing programs: “We are thrilled to receive these grant funds, which will enable us to significantly expand and strengthen services offered to addicted inmates at our jail. The funding will allow us to improve in-custody treatment, support post-release transitions, reduce overdose risks and lower recidivism rates.”
In Paulding County Sheriff Jason Landers is working with Foundations Behavioral Health Services on new addiction-treatment initiatives. “Attorney General Dave Yost has filled a void we’ve had in Paulding County for decades with this grant opportunity,” Landers said. “We hope to reduce our recidivism considerably by finally having someone dedicated to working with our entire judicial system to connect these folks with services and resources they never knew existed or didn’t understand how to use.”
Ross County Sheriff George Lavender Jr., whose office will partner with Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health Center using its grant funds stated: “I am appreciative of the collaboration with Attorney General Yost and for the receipt of this grant funding. This money will provide the needed medication-assisted treatment for inmates at the jail and after their release, helping to reduce recidivism.”
Applications for next year’s grant funding are open until December 1.
