(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Grants totaling more than $1.2 million are headed to eight Ohio counties to help sheriffs prioritize addiction treatment for jail inmates, Attorney General Dave Yost announced today.
In all, Yost’s office is offering $60 million in opioid settlement money over the next several years with the goal of reducing fatal overdoses in Ohio’s jails. Substance abuse is a leading cause of death among jail inmates in Ohio, accounting for at least 70 deaths since 2020, according to a recent USA Today report.
“The opioid crisis thrust county jails into the role of de facto addiction-treatment facilities, placing an unfunded burden on Ohio’s sheriffs,” Yost said. “These grants will provide relief to our jails as they manage the added responsibility of treating substance abuse. I’m grateful to every sheriff and deputy in Ohio, as they have adapted admirably to the evolving challenges of drug addiction.”
The attorney general’s Opioid Remediation Grant Program is awarding county jails up to $200,000 per year to hire a full-time addiction-services coordinator or a contractor providing similar services to treat opioid and other addictions, helping inmates through detox and recovery. Additionally, any county that operates a jail can apply for a $50,000 grant to fund medications and supplies for inmates experiencing opioid withdrawal.
Yost’s office has awarded grants to eight counties thus far:
- Ashland: $114,788
- Erie: $177,516
- Medina: $50,000
- Richland: $250,000
- Summit: $187,200
- Trumbull: $250,000
- Washington: $144,470
- Wyandot: $95,252
Erie County Sheriff Paul Sigsworth said that tackling addiction behind bars is key to reducing crime, explaining that his county will use its grant in collaboration with Bayshore Counseling Services in Sandusky to provide additional addiction-treatment services to inmates.
“Many of those who are incarcerated have substance-abuse issues,” Sigsworth said. “Those who are able to overcome their addiction issues with the assistance of treatment services funded by this grant will – hopefully – not commit future criminal offenses.”
Ashland County Sheriff Kurt Schneider echoed Sigsworth’s comments, adding that the grants will help inmates plan long-term paths to recovery.
“All too often, our inmates are left standing at the exit doors wondering how, where and when they will continue getting help, and now we can assist them by coordinating a plan prior to their release from jail,” Schneider said. “My hope is that each of them will continue seeking assistance in their recovery after their release to better their lives and avoid future run-ins with the law.”
The application window for 2025 grants runs through Dec. 1, 2025. An application form is available
here.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Dominic Binkley: 614-728-4127
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