MANSFIELD — The Richland County commissioners appointed Laura Montgomery, CEO of Catalyst Life Services, to a regional foundation board that will help develop policy and oversee financial distribution for recovery efforts.
The state of Ohio approved a settlement of a nationwide class action lawsuit against pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors that officials contended helped create an opioid crisis. The settlement included a large payment to help states deal with the results of the crisis.
County Administrator Andrew Keller told commissioners that more than $5 billion has been allocated to Ohio to be administered by the One Ohio Recovery Foundation board. The board has representatives from 19 regions. Region 19 includes Richland, Ashland, Wayne, Lorain, Erie, Huron and Medina counties.
Commissioners also appointed Elaine Surber, Catalyst’s executive vice president, as Montgomery’s alternate.
Montgomery said her responsibility as a OneOhio board member is to ensure local organizations are informed of the process, priorities and application dates for funding.
The deadlines she announced Thursday include:
- March 4: the Grant Portal www.OneOhioFoundation.com/grants opens for organizations planning to submit proposals for funding. Organizations need to register with the state.
- April 2: the application process opens through the portal. All submissions must be entered through the Portal between April 2 and May 3.
- May 3: This marks the last day for submissions for the first round of funding. OneOhio does not have a clear date for when the portal will reopen for future submissions.
Montgomery reported that the 2024 regional grant request for proposal, which includes detailed information regarding the grant application process, will be posted on the grant headquarters webpage on or before Monday, March 4.
Montgomery shared the following were identified as Region 19 priorities:
- Prevention services, both school-based and community-based services.
- Recovery housing, as well as support for current recovery houses obtaining national certification.
- Recovery-oriented systems of care, including Recovery Community Organization and peer supports for adults, veterans, women, adolescents and families.
- Transportation to access care and other services necessary to improve quality of life.
- Service locations available throughout the region, especially important in rural counties.
- Increasing capacity and workforce shortages.
- Services for co-occurring disorders.
- Crisis services.
- Family and in-home services.
- Youth services, especially to ensure smooth handoffs from one level of care to another.
- School counselors.
- Collaboration, outreach and marketing.
- Community liaisons and care navigators.
“The Foundation has been working with local interests to support their opioid misuse treatment, recovery and prevention efforts,” Montgomery said. “Funds are being invested to support these effort’s for Ohioans into the future.”
If you are a county provider of treatment services and would like more information on the process to apply for these funds or the use of these dollars, please visit www.OneOhioFoundation.com/grants