ONEOHIO RECOVERY FOUNDATION AWARDS $1.21 MILLION FOR 8 LOCAL PROJECTS TO ADVANCE PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND RECOVERY IN REGION 11

COLUMBUS – Eight projects aimed at saving lives, preventing substance use disorder, expanding access to treatment, supporting recovery and strengthening community resilience in Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Harrison, Holmes, Jefferson and Tuscarawas counties have been awarded a combined $1.21 million through the OneOhio Recovery Foundation's Regional Grant Cycle 2. The eight awards support locally driven, evidence-informed work that responds to the local impacts of substance use disorder and co-occurring mental health conditions, putting opioid settlement dollars to work where they can make a meaningful difference. 

Ohio's opioid settlement dollars are most powerful when they reach the organizations and communities closest to the work of prevention, treatment and recovery, said Alisha Nelson, Executive Director of the OneOhio Recovery Foundation. 

“Access to the right support at the right time can make all the difference for individuals and families,” Nelson said. “These grants invest across the continuum, from youth prevention and post-overdose response to crisis stabilization, treatment and long-term recovery support, bringing more options closer to home.” 

Local communities know their own needs, and these new awards reflect the priorities identified by local partners in Region 11, said William Holt, OneOhio Region 11 Board Chair. 

“These awards put practical tools in the hands of the people our communities already trust, including local clinics, first responders, peer supporters and service organizations,” Holt said. “They will help us respond sooner after an overdose, support mothers and young people, and strengthen access to treatment and recovery across all seven counties.” 

In total, Regional Grant Cycle 2 makes $45.7 million available across the state. Project funding directly serves people with substance use disorder, including those with co-occurring mental health conditions, as well as family members affected by substance use disorder, according to purposes approved by the OneOhio Memorandum of Understanding. 

Region 11 Grant Awards 

Aim Women’s Center: $150,000 for Recovery Navigation for Pregnant and Postpartum Women, which will add a recovery navigator who provides peer support, warm handoffs (or transfer of care) to treatment, and overcomes practical barriers for pregnant and postpartum women. 

Anazao Community Partners: $80,247 for Rural Youth Stability and Access Initiative, which will expand virtual access and evidence-based prevention for transition-age youth and families in rural Holmes County. 

Coleman Professional Services, Inc.: $250,000 for Coleman Crisis Stabilization Unit – Belmont County, which will support evidence-based programming and new staff for crisis stabilization services in Belmont County. 

Cumberland Trail Fire District: $175,000 for Belmont County CARES Post-Overdose Treatment Engagement Program, which will combine nurse practitioner-led assessment, multidisciplinary follow-up and care coordination to connect people to treatment after an overdose. 

Harrison County General Health District: $52,203 for Harrison County PREVENT+ Initiative, which will install two community health vending machines offering 24-hour access to naloxone, fentanyl test strips, educational materials and links to treatment and recovery. 

Healthcare 2000 Community Clinic, Inc. (DBA Viola Startzman Clinic): $300,000 for Pathways to Recovery: Strengthening SUD (Substance Use Disorder) Care Through Psychiatry, Counseling, and CHWs (Community Health Workers), which will add a psychiatric nurse practitioner, counselor and community health worker to expand integrated substance use disorder care in Holmes County. 

Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio: $100,000 for Justice for Recovery, which will provide civil legal services, outreach and advocacy that remove barriers to stability for families affected by substance use disorder. 

SMART Recovery USA, Inc.: $100,018 for Expansion of SMART Recovery’s Communities of Empowerment in Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Harrison, Holmes, Jefferson, and Tuscarawas Counties, which will train facilitators, launch additional mutual-support meetings and expand Family & Friends education across the seven-county region. 

Together, these awards will bring prevention, crisis response, treatment and recovery supports closer to rural communities, strengthen post-overdose engagement and support pregnant women, young people and families. 

All grant awards were approved by the OneOhio Board of Directors following a robust, multi-step process designed to ensure local input, integrity, accountability and alignment with OneOhio's approved purposes. The Foundation is working with approved organizations to complete the grant agreement process and move funding into communities across Ohio. Grants are contingent on a fully executed grant agreement. 

For Regional Grant Cycle 2, applicants first submitted Funding Inquiries through the OneOhio Grant Portal. Eligible inquiries were reviewed by Regional Grant Review Committees, and selected applicants were invited to submit Technical Applications. Where applicable, submissions were reviewed by the OneOhio Expert Panel to ensure alignment with evidence and the OneOhio MOU. Successful applications were then reviewed by Foundation staff and the Grant Oversight Committee, with final funding decisions made by the Board of Directors. 

Regional Grant Cycle 2 builds on the Foundation's inaugural grant cycle, which awarded more than $45 million to 245 projects statewide. That first round supported a broad mix of strategies, including youth prevention initiatives, school-based mental health supports, recovery housing, treatment expansion, post-overdose outreach, peer support, supports for children and families affected by substance use disorder, and workforce development for the behavioral health field. 

Grant recipients must submit biannual programmatic and financial reports, and the Foundation may request supplemental information or conduct site visits or virtual meetings as needed. These requirements reflect the Foundation's commitment to ensuring that every dollar is used responsibly and produces measurable and lasting impact. 

A complete list of approved grant recipients can be found at OneOhioFoundation.com/GrantAwards. Additional awards may be announced as projects complete the review and approval process. Organizations interested in future funding opportunities should visit OneOhioFoundation.com/Grants and sign up for updates from the Foundation. 

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