CHILLICOTHE — Ross County is in line for a major boost in the fight against addiction. A slate of local projects has been awarded more than $442,000 in grants from the OneOhio Recovery Foundation, the organization distributing Ohio’s opioid settlement dollars to communities across the state.
The awards, announced this week, direct funding to prevention, treatment and recovery-support efforts in Ross County, where the opioid epidemic has hit families and first responders hard for years. The grants are drawn from settlement money paid by opioid manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies, which the foundation steers toward local programs with the greatest need.
Local leaders say the dollars will land where they matter most: recovery housing, peer-support services, and outreach programs that connect people with treatment before a crisis turns deadly. Ross County’s share reflects both the severity of the region’s addiction challenges and the strength of the local proposals competing for the money.
The OneOhio Recovery Foundation was created to make sure settlement funds stay in Ohio communities rather than disappearing into state coffers. Grant rounds are awarded regionally, with boards weighing applications on impact, sustainability and community partnerships. For Ross County, the $442,000-plus award marks one of the larger single-round infusions of recovery funding in recent years.
