Establish drug policy office with opioid settlement funds
For years, the opioid epidemic has decimated communities throughout Ohio, from urban centers to small towns and rural farming communities to the most affluent suburbs.
The COVID-19 pandemic has only intensified this crisis as people are faced with economic strain and increased isolation. With no centralized state leadership in place, local governments have been compelled to step up and tackle the opioid crisis largely on their own.
While local governments have done their best to develop innovative solutions with the limited resources they have, Ohio still ranks fourth in the nation for opioid-involved overdose deaths.
Thankfully, significant economic relief is on the way, as Attorney General Dave Yost recently announced the state has reached a settlement with opioid drugmakers that is expected to bring $808 million to Ohio, of which the vast majority will go to local governments.
With these funds set to come in, it is critical that Ohio immediately creates a statewide Office of Drug Policy to help support the endeavors of local communities and ensure these funds are used to manage the addiction crisis as efficiently and effectively as possible.
I originally introduced House Bill 328 in order to spur increased cooperation and resources sharing throughout our state.
This legislation would establish the Office of Drug Policy within the governor’s office, which will serve as one centralized clearinghouse of information, resources and best practices so that we can better aid local governments and cut through red tape that prevents effective treatment.
A coordinated Office of Drug Policy would offer more hands-on guidance to local communities by serving as the state partner with regional opioid task forces, counties, cities and community providers.
The SAFE Station Program, developed by the Whitehall Fire Department in my own district, is an example of an effective stabilization program utilizing best practices that could be implemented statewide should the Office of Drug Policy be established.
The SAFE Station Program was designed to aid those seeking help with addiction by providing a safe environment where paramedics and recovery specialists can begin treatment.
The program also encourages people to bring drugs and paraphernalia to the station to be safely discarded with no legal action taken against them for possession. This program has been very successful, and yet, due to a lack of coordination and communication statewide, other communities have not been able to replicate it.
With the new statewide office, programs such as SAFE Station and many others can be replicated across the state, and lives will be saved. From Cleveland to Cincinnati, from Akron to Zanesville, our brightest minds will be able to build on the ideas that came before their own communities.
The $808 million opioid settlement is the prime opportunity to establish a long-term state strategy to manage this epidemic in a unified way for years to come. With the right framework, we can level the playing field for communities and tackle the opioid crisis far more efficiently.
We must not stop fighting until we bring an end to this crisis and ensure addiction no longer holds our state back from living up to our full promise and potential. And to all those who have been affected by addiction, we see you. We are fighting for you. There is hope.
State representative Richard Brown has served Ohio’s 20th House District since 2017 and serves as House assistant minority whip. Brown is also a lawyer in private practice, based out of Canal Winchester.