MANSFIELD — North Central Ohio Educational Service Center has received $43,780.33 in grant funding from OneOhio Recovery Foundation to support its efforts in helping fight addiction to deliver Prime for Life, an evidenced-based intervention and prevention program for students in grades 6 through 12, announced Supt./CEO Brenda Luhring.
Prime for Life is designed to equip students with critical knowledge and skills necessary to make low-risk decisions, especially in the face of increasing pressures around substance use.
By focusing on early intervention and prevention, Prime for Life provides students with education about substance use, helping those who may be at risk of developing a substance use disorder or who may already be engaging in high-risk behaviors.
“Through this OneOhio grant, we are able to offer Prime for Life to referred students within our school districts,” Luhring said. “Our ultimate goal is to empower youth with the tools they need to make healthier choices, reducing their likelihood of engaging in behaviors that could lead to addiction.
“With this program, we are taking an important step toward fostering a healthier, more informed generation of young people who are better equipped to navigate challenges and make decisions that support their long-term well-being.”
The grant is part of an inaugural round of approximately $51 million in funding made available by the OneOhio Recovery Foundation as part of its mission to combat the opioid epidemic by supporting prevention, treatment and recovery programs and services in our communities.
The grant money was funded by 55 percent of settlement funds that Ohio is receiving from the pharmaceutical industry as a consequence of its role in the national opioid epidemic.
The grant received by North Central Ohio ESC reflects the Foundation’s commitment to supporting organizations on the frontlines of the addiction epidemic by advancing efforts that foster more resilient, healthier communities across Ohio, said Alisha Nelson, Executive Director of the OneOhio Recovery Foundation.
The recipients announced as part of the Foundation’s first grant cycle were chosen after a robust review process that included evaluation by the local OneOhio Regional Board, the OneOhio Expert Panel and the Foundation’s Board of Directors.
A complete list of recipients can be found at OneOhioFoundation.com/GrantAwards.