January is Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month and new analysis by the Health Policy Institute of Ohio found that thousands of Ohioans who need drug or alcohol treatment are not receiving it.

As illustrated above, some of the reasons for not receiving needed care include cost, transportation, lack of provider availability and challenges with insurance.

In recent years, access to mental health and addiction treatment has been a priority for state policymakers. RecoveryOhio’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan lists access to treatment and recovery services as one of the five key pillars of its work. According to the plan, “Numerous resources and services exist, but many Ohioans find them difficult to identify and navigate. Intake into mental health or substance use disorder treatment is too frequently initiated by law enforcement or emergency room services.”

Click here to see a list of mental health and substance use resources from HPIO.