ASHLAND — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost went to jail Tuesday.
His brief stop at the Ashland County Jail was aimed at highlighting the state agency’s Opiate Remediation Grant Program and the jail’s role in it.
“We still have the aftermath of this incredible opiate addiction problem that has been raging in our state and country,” Yost said. “There’s more to be done.”
Ohio continues to grapple with the long-term effects of the opioid crisis, and gaps in addiction recovery services remain a serious concern, Yost said.
One critical issue identified by state leaders is the transition from incarceration to community reentry, where access to medication and support services is often lacking.
While judges frequently mandate 30-day residential treatment programs for individuals on probation — a widely accepted gold standard — the reality is sobering: three out of four people relapse within six months of completing such programs, Yost said.
The attorney general said the period between the end of residential treatment and the first year of sobriety is crucial to long-term recovery.
Yost pointed to data that shows individuals who reach one full year of sobriety have significantly better chances of maintaining it.
However, this phase remains underfunded and lacks a focused strategy, leaving many without adequate community support, he said.
He said more attention and resources need to be directed toward this vulnerable window if Ohio is to make meaningful progress in fighting addiction.
The Opiate Remediation Program, through the attorney general’s office, aims to do just that, Yost said.
Ashland County Jail became one of eight recently when it received a grant totaling $114,788 to fund an addiction-services coordinator.
The money is coming from opioid settlement funds funneled through the AG’s office, which received $60 million over three years to reduce overdoses in jails.
Ashland’s allocation will specifically lead to the hiring of an addiction-services coordinator and purchase of supplies, such as hydration equipment, drugs and some of it will supplement trips to the hospital.
The money in Ashland will also go toward the purchase of urine screen kits — each new incarcerated person will be required to undergo a drug test as part of the intake process.
Schneider said Tuesday the results of the drug screening will never lead to additional charges.
“It’s strictly for their safety. That information will be locked up with their medical files,” he said.
The sheriff emphasized the need for this money. He said 70% of the jail’s current inmates are there because of their involvement in illicit drugs.
How will success be measured?
To measure success of the grant program, Yost said his office will examine participation and outcomes during the initial period of an incarcerated individual’s period of probation around the state.
Long-term success, however, will depend on a systemic approach to longitudinal data gathering.
“We need better data if we’re going to manage this problem and treat it well,” he said. “This is maybe among the worst areas of medicine in terms of our actual reliable data.”
Schneider said he hopes the jail’s new addiction-services coordinator will collect data that is useful to the state.
The jail has already received two applications for the position, he said, adding the position will be posted through the end of the week. He hopes to hire as soon as possible.