Franklin County, OH

Franklin County Board of Commissioners

ohio

Urban | Population: 1,330,396

Franklin County, Ohio, continues to grapple with a severe substance use crisis, particularly involving opioids such as fentanyl. In 2022 alone, the county recorded 842 drug-related overdose deaths, a 35% increase since 2019. Among incarcerated individuals in the Franklin County Correctional Center, nearly 30% screened positive for substance use disorders (SUD), yet only 6.9% were released with connections to medication-assisted treatment (MAT). These statistics highlight critical gaps in care and underscore the urgent need for expanded services within the criminal justice system. 

Key COSSUP Initiatives

Medication-Assisted Treatment

Maintain existing medication-assisted treatment services while expanding pre-release induction efforts.

Support comprehensive pre-release treatment planning and continuity of care post-release.

Peer recovery support

Establish a new hub of the Recovery Community Center in Columbus’s Southside to provide peer-led recovery support services, overdose prevention services, housing navigation, employment assistance, and recovery-oriented activities. 

Conduct outreach events to engage homeless individuals with peer support and linkages to treatment.

transitional housing

Increase transitional housing availability for justice-involved individuals with SUD or co-occurring disorders.

Anticipated Benefits of Project

• Reduction in overdose fatalities

  This project aims to reduce overdose fatalities through access to timely and effective treatment, including medications for opioid use disorders (MOUD) and naloxone distribution. 

• Increased public safety

  This project aims to increase public safety through seamlessly transitioning individuals from treatment in custody to community-based treatment. 

• Improved reentry outcomes

  This project aims to improve the reentry process and therefore reduce recidivism by addressing barriers to recovery, such as access to stable housing.

• Increased treatment compliance

  With the support of peer recovery specialists, this project aims to increase treatment compliance and effectiveness. 

Collaborative Partners

• Franklin County Board of Commissioners

• Franklin County Office of Justice Policy and Programs

• Franklin County Sheriff's Office

• Southeast Healthcare

• Talbert House, University of Cincinnati

• Corporation for Supportive Housing

Project Director

Melissa Pierson, Chief Operating Officer
Franklin County Justice Policy & Programs
mspierson@franklincountyohio.gov
614-525-5563

This project was supported by Grant No. 15PBJA23GK02258COAP awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.