ONEOHIO RECOVERY FOUNDATION AWARDS $585,229 FOR SIX LOCAL PROJECTS TO ADVANCE PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND RECOVERY IN REGION 16

COLUMBUS, OH – Six projects aimed at saving lives, preventing addiction, expanding access to treatment, supporting recovery, and strengthening community resilience in Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert and Williams counties have been awarded a combined $585,229 through the OneOhio Recovery Foundation's Regional Grant Cycle 2. The six 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 substance abuse prevention, said Alisha Nelson, Executive Director of the OneOhio Recovery Foundation.  

"These grants allocate funds to further OneOhio's commitment to turning settlement dollars into life-changing investments that save lives, prevent addiction, and support lasting recovery,” Nelson said. “We are proud to partner with organizations and regional leaders who helped identify where these resources can make the greatest impact on the communities in Region 16." 

Local communities know their own needs, and these new awards reflect the priorities identified by local partners across Region 16, said Sabrina Lind, Region 16 Board Chair.  

"These projects will help bring support through community awareness and education to build a more resilient local prevention, treatment, and recovery network for our families,” Lind said.  

Regional Grant Cycle 2 makes approximately $45 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 16 Grant Awards 

Fulton County Health Department: $40,000 to support Youth Led Community Connection Initiative, which will expand their youth-led prevention program, the YAC (Youth Advisory Council) Initiative, by exploring partnerships with local employers to align needed skill sets with career exploration opportunities, increasing membership and active participation through focused recruitment, and developing and expanding an Alumni Program to further support younger peers.  

Pathways Counseling Center, Inc.: $127,591 to support Substance Use Prevention and Education Services, which will decrease substance use by strengthening substance use disorder (SUD) prevention efforts in at least 75% of Putnam County middle schools and increasing community awareness and education on reducing stigma around substance use and how to connect with services if needed. 

Paulding County Common Pleas Court: $93,600 to support Sober Housing Rental Assistance for Paulding County Drug Court Participants, which will decrease substance use by strengthening SUD prevention efforts in at least 75% of Putnam County middle schools and increasing community awareness and education on reducing stigma around substance use and how to connect with services if needed. 

Paulding County Common Pleas Court: $75,000 to support Furnishings for New Paulding County Female Sober Living House, which will use funds from the OneOhio Recovery Foundation to fully furnish a new sober living house in Paulding County that will house female participants in the Paulding County Drug Court program.  

The Four County ADAMhs Board: $180,000 to support Four County Supported Employment Program, which will add supported employment to the local care continuum to address a service gap and improve long term outcomes for individuals in recovery with substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders. 

Westwood Behavioral Health Center, Inc: $69,038 to support United For Sobriety, which is a faith-based recovery initiative in partnership with Trinity Global Church serving individuals in recovery and their families in Van Wert and Paulding counties.  

Together, these awards will address substance misuse prevention, treatment, recovery, and related community needs. 

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 addiction, 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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