The Ross County Health District has been awarded a two-year $600,000 grant through the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance in an effort to help prevent and reduce the number of associated with use of opioids and fentanyl. Ross County is one of just six communities nationwide to receive the grant. It's designed to help local agencies understand the patterns and characteristics of local drug problem.
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Ross County ranks as one of the worst counties in the state for opioid use and drug overdose, landing in the 75th percentile for overdose emergency room visits and unintentional overdose deaths.
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"This grant will allow us to strengthen our partnerships across sectors to enhance how data is collected, analyzed, and communicated throughout Ross County," said Ben Avery, Ross County Health District Administrator. "Through this grant, the health district is looking to increase education around data-informed implementation across the county and build a data-fusion center that will serve our community long-term," stated Avery.
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Through grant funds, the Health District will hire two full-time positions, a project coordinator to guide the planning and implementation of the project and a data expert to assist in data collection and analysis. Both positions are listed on the Ross County Health District’s website and currently accepting applications.
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