January 11, 2023 Recap: OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUND BOARD HOLDS PUBLIC MEETING

At Its First Meeting of the New Year, OneOhio Recovery Foundation Board Continues to Build an Operational Framework to Guide Distribution of Opioid Settlement Funds throughout the State

COLUMBUS, OH – Board members of the OneOhio Recovery Foundation, a private, non-profit corporation charged with distributing funds for local opioid-abuse relief, recovery and prevention efforts, held their monthly public meeting on January 11, 2023 at Foundation offices in Columbus.

This was the 29-member board’s eighth public meeting since its formation in May 2022, continuing members’ work to establish fundamental governance policies for the organization and create an endowment to fund the Foundation’s future needs. 

“As always, I am impressed by the diligence and commitment of our all-volunteer board to the painstaking work required to establish fundamental policies, procedures and ethical guardrails for the Foundation,” said Board Chair and member-at-large Larry Kidd, a Jackson County entrepreneur who is also a co-founder of the Jackson County Drug Task Force. “Members’ efforts in these formative meetings are setting standards for the Foundation’s long-term success in helping address the terrible toll that drug addiction and abuse are taking on families and communities across Ohio.”

At the January board meeting, members:

· Heard an update from Board Chair Kidd, reviewing progress made and actions underway toward completion of the Foundation’s organizational and operational checklist.

· Recognized Greta Mayer, Region 14, as the newest member of the board’s Executive Committee, appointed to succeed Keith Hochadel, Region 6, who was elected Board Secretary at the December meeting.

· Welcomed Dr. Jon Sprague to the meeting, who is Attorney General Yost’s appointee to the Foundation’s Expert Panel.

· Approved the Foundation’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy, which affirms the board’s mission to practice and promote diversity, equity and inclusion in fulfilling its charitable mission to enhance Ohio’s prevention, treatment and recovery support services.

· Approved an Expert Panel Application, through which Ohioans with expertise in addiction, pain management, public health and other fields relating to substance-use disorder can apply to serve on the Expert Panel.  Selected individuals will make recommendations to the Board to help ensure that all 19 Regions can address the opioid epidemic both locally and statewide. The Expert Panel also may be asked to consult with and offer expert guidance on other matters to the Board and Regions as projects are considered for funding.

· Approved an Expert Panel Policy, setting forth the role, duties, organizational structure and methods of appointment for members who will serve on the above-mentioned Expert Panel.

· Received an update from Interim Executive Director Kathryn Whittington on operations progress made since December and a proposed operations outline for 2023. Ms. Whittington also provided an update on region and stakeholder outreach efforts underway.

· Reviewed a finance report prepared by Interim CFO Jim Quinn, summarizing the Foundation’s 2022 receipts and expenses. Mr. Quinn also provided an update on the RFP process to hire a CPA firm to advise the Foundation.

· Heard reports from chairs of the board’s Grant Committee, Audit & Finance Committee, and the Executive Search Committee.

· Heard a report on pending litigation.

· Announced dates for upcoming 2023 board meetings.

The board’s next public meeting will be held at Noon on Wednesday, February 8, 2023 at OneOhio Recovery Foundation offices, 1554 Polaris Parkway, Suite 325, Columbus.

Members of the public and media may access video of all board meetings and related board documents at OneOhioFoundation.com/Meetings.