Opioid crisis looms over budget talks
Deciding how to tackle Ohio’s massive opioidaddiction problem is about to become a major fight inside the Statehouse, as the House and Senate clash over differences in the new twoyear state budget.
The Senate on Wednesday voted 24-8 to approve a budget that contains $176 million to address Ohio’s overdose crisis — potentially, depending on how one counts it, more than the Housepassed $170 million proposal.
But critics say a Senatepassed Medicaid expansion freeze could cripple state efforts to combat the drug epidemic that claimed more than 4,000 lives in 2016.
“Eleven people a day are dying. Now is not the time to roll back services,” said Cheri Walter, chief
of three months of research. Along with treatment and education, the multi-year proposal calls for a change in community perception to stress that heroin is killing family members and friends of all colors and creeds while costing millions upon millions of dollars.
“Opiate addiction is a chronic disease, not a personal choice,” the report says.
The plan is based on four principles:
Treatment and support.
Health care and risk reduction.
First responders and law enforcement.
Prevention and community education.
The plan came about after Franklin County Commissioner John O’Grady and Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther called a meeting in March to announce that while the work Coroner Anahi Ortiz was doing with an opiate task force was important, a wider group of agencies was needed
to address the growing epidemic more comprehensively. O’Grady and Ginther charged the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County with leading the plan.
Ortiz reported Tuesday that overdose deaths in Franklin County rose 66 percent in the first four months of this year, compared with the first four months of last year.
The plan that came out Wednesday afternoon does not specify how its initiatives to fight addiction would be funded.
ADAMH has an $80 million annual budget, $57 million of which comes from a Franklin County property tax. ADAMH provides no services but contracts with other agencies to provide addiction treatment and rehabilitation services. Now, ADAMH said, there are 104 treatment beds in Franklin County and 283 longerterm residential beds.
“Opiate addiction is a chronic disease, not a personal choice.” — Franklin County Opiate Action Plan
As part of the plan, ADAMH plans to spend $2.2 million for a new 50-bed treatment facility. First responders consistently have complained that there aren’t enough detox beds, resulting in some overdose cases they take to the hospital walking out before the ambulance leaves because there is such a long waiting list for treatment.
“In order for this plan to be fully implemented,” the report notes, “it will require additional resources at many levels.”
One way may involve what the report calls “partnering with business leaders and private organizations to assist with resource gaps.”
Education is the key to the plan, expected to run through 2019, and is expected to happen in schools, doctors’ offices, playing fields, boardrooms and community centers.
The plan calls for school-based prevention plans but also will rely on similar programs in faith-based and community organizations. Because many become addicted to heroin after sports injuries and being prescribed painkillers, the plan calls for the Ohio High School Athletic Association to create an education program on the dangers of addiction. The program is to be stressed to coaches, players, parents and trainers.
Under the plan, naloxone — Narcan is the brand name — which is used to revive opioid overdose victims, would be available not only from emergency responders but also through businesses, schools, other organizations and, probably, families.
“Ensuring all patrol cars and emergency vehicles in Franklin County are equipped with naloxone and all police officers and EMS personnel are trained to use it is an important strategy to save lives,” the report notes.