LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor
Since 2004

Tag: opioid epidemic

  • Clermont County Mental Health and Recovery Board Receives $1 Million Grant to Support a Crisis Receiving Center

    Clermont County Mental Health and Recovery Board Receives $1 Million Grant to Support a Crisis Receiving Center

    Batavia, Ohio – The Clermont County Mental Health and Recovery Board has received a $1 million grant to support its efforts to help fight addiction by delivering needed crisis services, Dr. Lee Ann Watson, the Executive Director of the Clermont County Mental Health and Recovery Board announced.

    The grant from the OneOhio Recovery Foundation will go toward increasing access to behavioral health services by providing a no-wrong door access point for Clermont residents experiencing a behavioral health crisis, Dr. Watson said.

    “While our Board has recognized that the lack of a Crisis Receiving Center has been a major gap in the behavioral health continuum of care in Clermont County for many years, we have simply not had the funding to address the need,” said Dr. Watson. “The OneOhio funding Recovery Foundation grant will allow us to meet this vital need in Clermont County.”

    The grant is part of an inaugural round of approximately $51 million in funding made available by the Foundation as part of its mission to combat the opioid epidemic by supporting prevention, treatment and recovery programs and services in our communities. The grant money was funded by 55 percent of settlement funds that Ohio is receiving from the pharmaceutical industry as a consequence of its role in the national opioid epidemic.

    The grant received by the Clermont County Mental Health and Recovery Board reflects the Foundation’s commitment to supporting organizations on the frontlines of the addiction epidemic by advancing efforts that foster more resilient, healthier communities across Ohio.

    “Across Ohio, organizations like the Clermont County Mental Health and Recovery Board are working day in and day out to strengthen their communities that have been impacted by the opioid epidemic,” said Alisha Nelson, Executive Director of the OneOhio Recovery Foundation.

    “We’re pleased to partner with the Clermont County Mental Health and Recovery Board to support their efforts to save lives, rebuild families affected by addiction, and foster strong and resilient places to live,” Nelson added.

    The recipients announced as part of the Foundation’s first grant cycle were chosen after a review process that included evaluation by the local OneOhio Regional Board, the OneOhio Expert Panel and the Foundation’s Board of Directors.

    Grant recipients have “demonstrated a strong commitment to addressing the opioid crisis”. The funded initiatives are evidenced-based and align with Ohio’s approved abatement strategies, including prevention, recovery supports, services for impacted families and children, and many more.

    A complete list of recipients can be found at OneOhioFoundation.com/GrantAwards.

    The Foundation had an overwhelming response to the 2024 Regional Grant application process, with more than a half-billion dollars in funding requests submitted for the $51 million available this cycle. Organizations and leaders seeking to submit applications in the future can sign up on the Foundation’s website here to receive updates.

    About OneOhio Recovery Foundation

    OneOhio Recovery Foundation is a private, non-profit foundation created under the leadership of Gov. Mike DeWine and Attorney General Dave Yost, and other state and local leaders, with the mission of advancing Ohio’s addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts now and into the future.

    The Foundation is governed by a 29-member board from across Ohio and is funded by 55 percent of settlement funds that Ohio is receiving from the pharmaceutical industry as a consequence of its role in the national opioid epidemic. Funds support local efforts to prevent and combat addiction and are also invested to support those efforts for the long term.

  • Attorney General DeWine files lawsuit against opioid distributors for practices fueling opioid diversion

    Attorney General DeWine files lawsuit against opioid distributors for practices fueling opioid diversion

    Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today filed a lawsuit against four major prescription opioid distributors in Madison County Court of Common Pleas. The lawsuit alleges that the drug companies engaged in unsafe distribution practices that ignored their responsibility under law to provide effective controls against opioid diversion.

    “We believe the evidence will show that these companies ignored their duties as drug distributors to ensure that opioids were not being diverted for improper use. They knew the amount of opioids allowed to flow into Ohio far exceeded what could be consumed for medically-necessary purposes, but they did nothing to stop it,” said Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. “And much like the drug manufacturers who continue to fail to do the right thing, these distributors are doing precious little to take responsibility for their actions and help pay for the damage they have caused.”

    In 2016, the last year for which data is available, an average of more than 76 opioid doses was distributed for every man, woman, and child in Madison County.

    The four distributors which are listed as defendants include:

    • McKesson Corporation
    • Cardinal Health, Inc., and its subsidiaries
    • AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation
    • Miami-Luken, Inc.

    The lawsuit alleges, among several counts, that the drug companies were negligent and created a public nuisance by using unsafe distribution practices and by irresponsibly oversupplying the market in and around Ohio with highly-addictive prescription opioids. The companies are alleged to have failed to act upon their responsibilities under both federal and Ohio law to stop such orders that would result in oversupply and report these suspicious orders to the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Ohio Board of Pharmacy. The lawsuit also alleges that the companies should have known that the volume of opioids supplied far exceeded what could be responsibly used in markets in Ohio and would likely have contributed to the opioids being illegally diverted and abused. This behavior directly fueled the opioid epidemic Ohio is currently facing.

    In the lawsuit, Attorney General DeWine is seeking a number of remedies including punitive damages as well as compensatory damages for costs incurred by Ohio for its increased spending for healthcare, criminal justice, social services, and education. The lawsuit also seeks to enjoin the defendants from further improper conduct by complying with reporting requirements for suspicious orders and to undertake more complete reporting of suspicious orders to the DEA and the Ohio Board of Pharmacy as well as the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

    The lawsuit was filed in Madison County, which has consistently had a higher number of opioids distributed to it than the statewide average. In 2016, the last year for which data is available, an average of more than 76 opioid doses was distributed for every man, woman, and child in Madison County, a rate that was 39% higher than the Ohio statewide average for that year.

    A copy of the lawsuit is available on the Ohio Attorney General’s website.