Mike DeWine announces $3 million in grants to battle opioid crisis
AG says goal is to get people into treatment
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced during a Sept. 6 press conference at the Strongsville Police Station that 40 law enforcement agencies through the state are receiving a combined $3 million in grants to help tackle the opioid crisis. Standing behind DeWine are (left to right) Strongsville Police Chief Mark Fender, State Rep. Tom Patton (R-Strongsville) and Strongsville City Council President Ken Dooner. Photo by TERRY BRLAS
STRONGSVILLE – Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced during a Sept. 6 news conference at the Strongsville Police Station that 40 law enforcement agencies throughout the state are receiving a combined $3 million in grants to help replicate or expand Drug Response Teams (DART) and Quick Response Teams (QRT) to address the opioid epidemic.
Money comes from the state budget. Sixteen of the 40 departments are located in northeast Ohio. The dollar amounts were capped based on the population served by the various agencies. Those with a population of 37,000 or less were capped at $50,000, populations of 37,000 to 239,000 were capped at $100,000 and those agencies serving a population greater than 239,000 were capped at $125,000.
“There is so much good work going on to fight this opioid epidemic and with the new grant money we can make even more of a difference, as we all work together to save more Ohioans,” DeWine said. “This opioid fight is challenging, but we can continue to make progress.”
DeWine stated the opioid crisis is different than any dilemma he has ever seen in regard to the drug problem.
“There’s not a county or community that has not dealt with this problem,” he said. “Never in my wildest dreams would I have believed this was occurring.”
The opioid epidemic in the state of Ohio is not abating. Numerous Ohioans are in the grips of pain medications, heroin, fentanyl and carfentanyl.
More than 4,000 residents of the state lost their lives due to opioids in 2016 with more than 600 of those in Cuyahoga County alone. The number of deaths in Cuyahoga County are expected to exceed 800 in 2017.
Nearly 12 people died each day in 2016 from a drug overdose in Ohio, which was up from an average of eight from the previous year. The numbers from 2017 appear to exceed last year’s grim statistic.
“These people die everywhere from fast food restaurant bathrooms, parking lots, movie theatres and their own homes,” DeWine said. “It’s not just the people who are dying. The fact is our children’s services are overwhelmed, one half of all the children in foster care are there because one or both parents are drug addicts, every single day babies are born who are addicted and our county jails are now detox centers,” DeWine said.
Members from various law enforcement agencies throughout northeast Ohio were present at the announcement, including Strongsville Police Chief Mark Fender. The SPD will receive $83,542 over a two-year period. The first funds are due to arrive Oct. 1.
The money will pay for one police lieutenant and one firefighter at an average of six hours per week on the QRT.
“When someone has an overdose, our team would be advised and within 72 hours is our goal for response,” Fender said. “We’re excited that the AG’s office has made this a priority. This is something we decided we were going to do in Strongsville regardless of whether we got the money. We want to bring hope to people who believe life is hopeless.”
Other agencies in The Post Newspapers coverage area receiving funds are Medina County Sheriff’s Office ($100,000), Summit County Sheriff’s Office ($50,000) and Wayne County Sheriff’s Office ($100,000).
The Ohio Attorney General’s Office filed a lawsuit in May against five opioid manufacturers and related companies.
“The manufacturers who created this mess have a moral obligation and we think legal obligation to clean up the mess and help pay for it,” DeWine said.
Money comes from the state budget. Sixteen of the 40 departments are located in northeast Ohio. The dollar amounts were capped based on the population served by the various agencies. Those with a population of 37,000 or less were capped at $50,000, populations of 37,000 to 239,000 were capped at $100,000 and those agencies serving a population greater than 239,000 were capped at $125,000.
“There is so much good work going on to fight this opioid epidemic and with the new grant money we can make even more of a difference, as we all work together to save more Ohioans,” DeWine said. “This opioid fight is challenging, but we can continue to make progress.”
DeWine stated the opioid crisis is different than any dilemma he has ever seen in regard to the drug problem.
“There’s not a county or community that has not dealt with this problem,” he said. “Never in my wildest dreams would I have believed this was occurring.”
The opioid epidemic in the state of Ohio is not abating. Numerous Ohioans are in the grips of pain medications, heroin, fentanyl and carfentanyl.
More than 4,000 residents of the state lost their lives due to opioids in 2016 with more than 600 of those in Cuyahoga County alone. The number of deaths in Cuyahoga County are expected to exceed 800 in 2017.
Nearly 12 people died each day in 2016 from a drug overdose in Ohio, which was up from an average of eight from the previous year. The numbers from 2017 appear to exceed last year’s grim statistic.
“These people die everywhere from fast food restaurant bathrooms, parking lots, movie theatres and their own homes,” DeWine said. “It’s not just the people who are dying. The fact is our children’s services are overwhelmed, one half of all the children in foster care are there because one or both parents are drug addicts, every single day babies are born who are addicted and our county jails are now detox centers,” DeWine said.
Members from various law enforcement agencies throughout northeast Ohio were present at the announcement, including Strongsville Police Chief Mark Fender. The SPD will receive $83,542 over a two-year period. The first funds are due to arrive Oct. 1.
The money will pay for one police lieutenant and one firefighter at an average of six hours per week on the QRT.
“When someone has an overdose, our team would be advised and within 72 hours is our goal for response,” Fender said. “We’re excited that the AG’s office has made this a priority. This is something we decided we were going to do in Strongsville regardless of whether we got the money. We want to bring hope to people who believe life is hopeless.”
Other agencies in The Post Newspapers coverage area receiving funds are Medina County Sheriff’s Office ($100,000), Summit County Sheriff’s Office ($50,000) and Wayne County Sheriff’s Office ($100,000).
The Ohio Attorney General’s Office filed a lawsuit in May against five opioid manufacturers and related companies.
“The manufacturers who created this mess have a moral obligation and we think legal obligation to clean up the mess and help pay for it,” DeWine said.