Like every other state in the nation, Ohio has a drug problem in its jails and Community-Based Correctional Facilities (CBCFs) — a problem that Attorney General Dave Yost is determined to rein in.
To help fight the scourge, Yost in 2025 created the Opioid Remediation Grant Program and awarded nearly $11 million through the end of the year.
“These grants do more than prevent overdoses — they give inmates a fighting chance to break the cycle of substance abuse and incarceration,” Yost said. “Credit to Ohio’s sheriffs and local leaders for their hard work and innovation in putting this money to good use across the state.”
Additional money is available — $60 million total over several years — and Yost wants to be sure that sheriffs and CBCF administrators make the most of the opportunity. (CBCFs serve as residential prison diversion programs for nonviolent offenders.)
All sheriffs and CBCF administrators, regardless of whether they received money in 2025, are eligible for funding in 2026. County jails and CBCFs are eligible for up to $200,000 per year to hire a full-time addiction-services coordinator or to contract with a company that provides such 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.
The grant program was originally intended for county jails only — where as many as 75% of inmates have substance-abuse disorders, often related to opioids. Overdose is a leading cause of death among jail inmates in Ohio.
Late last year, Yost expanded eligibility for the grant program to include CBCFs. In all, 49 jails serving 54 counties and 13 CBCFs received more than $10.9 million in grants in 2025. The program is funded with money from opioid settlements negotiated by Yost’s office.
How to apply
Find the application form by visiting:
https://tinyurl.com/5n87z5ch
Note: All counties — including those awarded grants in 2025 — can apply through Dec. 1, 2026. Repeat applicants should apply in the same quarter they applied in 2025. No grant payments for 2026 will be made to repeat applicants until all 2025 funding has been expended.