DeWine announces new 12-pronged plan to combat opioid epidemic

BOARDMAN — Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today announced a new plan to combat the opioid crisis.

“Ohio is in crisis,” DeWine, who is running for governor, said in a statement. “At least 14 Ohioans are dying every single day in our state from drug overdoses. More people will die in Ohio this week than died in the devastating shooting recently in Las Vegas.

DeWine’s plan, titled “Recovery Ohio,” features 12 initiatives. They are: Pass legislation to give the governor the ability to declare a public health emergency statewide or in specific areas; create a new data infrastructure for law enforcement to allow real-time, statewide data sharing; expand drug task force models; create at least 60 more specialized drug courts; double the substance use treatment capacity in the state; expand workforce of critical specialists; empower employers to help employees with substance use disorders to seek treatment while remaining employed; help business owners hire people in recovery by offering incentives; create a special position dedicated to fighting the opioid epidemic that reports directly to governor with cabinet-level authority; implement K-12th-grade drug prevention education for all Ohio schools; roll out a statewide drug prevention media campaign; and expand early intervention programs that target families and children in foster care.

DeWine is hosting a news conference today in Boardman to discuss his recovery plan. He will speak at Roof Right on Velma Court. Roof Right is a business that hires individuals in recovery through a nonprofit organization called Flying High.