New HPIO policy brief outlines ways for Ohio policymakers to take action to address addiction

The Health Policy Institute of Ohio has released a new policy brief, “Taking Action to Strengthen Ohio’s Addiction Response.”

The publication is the final brief in the HPIO Addiction Evidence Project and includes:

• An update on where Ohio stands on addiction-related trends
• A summary of Ohio’s addiction policy strengths, gaps, challenges and opportunities
• A prioritized set of nine policy recommendations

Over the past 20 years, Ohioans have pulled together to address the complex challenges of addiction in unprecedented ways. Now, with pending opioid settlements on the horizon, there is an opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of Ohio’s efforts to date and plan for what should happen next.

The brief identifies the following as the most important addiction policy priorities to address:

• Immediate: Save lives by ending fentanyl overdoses
• Next 2 years: Reform the criminal justice system to support recovery and employment
• Long term: Continue to strengthen Ohio’s prevention-treatment-recovery continuum