Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine visited Mansfield on Friday to host the fourth of several community forums to be held across the state to examine drug abuse in Ohio. The attorney general and a panel of local experts each discussed their unique perspectives and possible actions, from increased enforcement and treatment to community intervention.
“The whole purpose is to focus attention on the drug problem. We really have a serious epidemic in Ohio,” stated DeWine. He specifically noted that heroin can be found in every county, in the cities, urban areas and rural areas.
“It’s cheap,” he said, “We have the Mexican drug cartels that are bringing drugs in. They know what they are doing; they’re great marketers, and they’re effective. They’re bringing it right up from Mexico, and it’s very, very cheap. We have some people that are switching over from the prescription drug problem to heroin.”
DeWine’s office gathered information from county coroners; and according to that data, in 2013 there were over 800 deaths directly attributed to heroin. He said that there were that many more indirect deaths resulting from heroin use.
“A few weeks ago, we started a special heroin unit,” stated DeWine, “I put in that unit some experienced prosecuting attorneys, lawyers, as well as experienced investigators. We are available to local law enforcement.”
“The problem,” he said, “is that it’s not just a supply problem. It’s a demand problem.”
The solution, according to DeWine includes education, prevention, and treatment.
The forum was held at the Ontario branch of the Mansfield/Richland County Library. The panel organized for Mansfield included state Rep. Mark Romanchuk; Exec. Director Joseph Trolian of the Richland County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board; Mansfield Municipal Court Judge Jerry Ault; Mansfield Police Chief Kenny Coontz; Richland County Coroner Dr. Stewart Ryckman; Mansfield City Schools Superintendent Brian Gaverick; and Mary Bolin, owner of My Town Partners and mother of a recovering addict.
The meeting was attended by Richland County commissioners Gary Utt, Ed Olson, and Tim Wert, as well as Shelby Mayor Marilyn John, and Richland County Juvenile Court Judge Ron Spon. Also attending were Ashland County Sheriff Wayne Risner, Richland County Sheriff Steve Sheldon, and Crawford County Sheriff Scott Kent, Bellville Police Chief Ron Willey, and a number of other law enforcement officials as well as community members. Each panel member shared his or her views on the drug problem.
“We are very active with drug cases in Richland County,” stated Ault. He said that 68 percent of the participants in the court’s drug treatment program, relapse at least once, if not twice. “We have to be cognizant of that…The bottom line is treatment, treatment, treatment,” he added.
Chief Coontz is active in METRICH, the 10 county drug task force that includes Richland County. “What we’re doing right,” he said, “is collaborating. We’ve all established relationships and we work together.”
But Coontz said they needed to identify what can be done to improve enforcement.
“We understand what the problem is,” said Coontz on behalf of the cooperating METRICH entities, “In terms of enforcement, I can tell you that it boils down to dollar signs. There has to be funds available for enforcement…..If we can’t try to cut off the dead of the snake, which is the drug dealers within our communities, then it’s going to be very difficult to have much of an impact on the addicts.”
He added that METRICH is working toward education and facilitating treatment but he said there is a need for a local treatment facility. Some addictions are so severe, he said, that the addict needs a facility that “they can be locked down in.”
Bolin spoke as a business owner who sees individuals failing drug tests, but she spoke more passionately as the mother of a recovering addict.
“It’s important for families to talk to their kids and know their family history,” said Bolin, “I would have intervened sooner.” Her advice to families included education their children and being conscious of what’s going on.”
Garverick described how Mansfield City Schools started a program called Natural Helpers. The program encourages students to seek help. “You can arm our young people, who are already skilled, and they’re peers realize that: they’re peers will come to them….We’re arming our students to be a help to each other.” He added, that for the community he agrees with the need for a “team effort,” for the community to come together.
The remaining panel members shared the belief that families, law enforcement, and peers needed to work together. DeWine’s office will work with the community officials and members to devise a plan that will help the community work to find increasingly successful ways to address drug abuse.
“What we’re doing right,” said Mansfield Police Chief Ken Coontz, “is collaborating. We’ve all established relationships and we work together.”
