51ĀŅĀ×

51ĀŅĀ× has announced that it will partner with multiple universities across the state as part of a $65.9 million federally-funded study geared toward reducing Ohioā€™s opioid overdose rate by 40 percent over the next three years.

The new Ohio-based initiative, part of the federal HEALing Communities Study, plans to utilize real-time research to provide a combination of prevention, treatment and recovery programs within 19 Ohio counties, including Athens County.

Tracy Plouck, an executive in residence within the College of Health Sciences and Professions and a population health expert for (OAIPH), said that the initiative will provide a collaborative outlet that will improve the stateā€™s ability to curb opioid abuse at a community level.

ā€œThis coordinated, collective approach will enable us to form evidence-based approaches geared toward positively impacting the Ohio communities that have been most affected by opioid abuse,ā€ said Plouck, who is also OHIOā€™s lead individual for the grant. ā€œIā€™m excited to work with our academic, state and community partners to leverage our expertise in a way that will encourage addiction treatment and save lives.ā€

According to a recent study by the OAIPH, more than 500,000 years of life expectancy were lost in Ohio during a seven-year period. Approximately 13,059 Ohioans died from opioid overdose during the seven-year period of the OAIPH study (2010-2016).

Joining OHIO as part of the consortium is Ohio State University, the University of Cincinnati, Case Western Reserve University, the University of Toledo and Wright State University ā€” and leaders from state agencies and community organizations.

In addition to Athens County, the initiative will focus on a cross-section of urban and rural communities within 18 other counties, including: Allen, Ashtabula, Brown, Cuyahoga, Darke, Franklin, Guernsey, Greene, Hamilton, Huron, Jefferson, Lucas, Morrow, Ross, Scioto, Stark, Williams and Wyandot.