The Latest Updates: January

Foundation Board Continues Planning for Distribution of Funds

The Foundation’s 29-member board recently held its eighth public meeting, and key agenda items included governance policies and creating the endowment to fund future activities.

“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.”

The Foundation is currently working with a grant writing consultant to support its Grant Oversight Committee as it develops the policies that will govern the Foundation’s grant criteria and awards process.

New Board Leadership

In order to continue the Foundation’s strong forward progress into 2023, former board chair Kathryn Whittington recently resigned her board seat and agreed to serve as the Foundation’s interim executive director. In this role, Whittington has been actively meeting with substance-abuse, recovery, public health stakeholder groups to update them on Foundation progress and hear their ideas and feedback.

Larry Kidd, who previously served as board secretary, was elected to replace Whittington as board chair, and Keith Hochadel was elected to replace Kidd as board secretary.

Greta Mayer, Region 14, was appointed to serve as the at-large member of the executive committee.

Ohioans With Expertise in Substance-Abuse Disorder, Recovery, Public Health and Related Fields Invited to Join Expert Panel

The Foundation is now accepting applications from Ohioans interested in joining its Expert Panel, a group of independent advisors that will guide its distribution of more than $400 million to support addiction relief, recovery and prevention efforts across Ohio.

Expert Panel members will consult with and offer guidance to the Board and the members of its 19 regional boards as projects are considered for funding. Ohioans with expertise in addiction prevention, treatment and recovery, pain management, public health and other related fields are encouraged to apply.

Six members of the nine-person Expert Panel will be selected by the Foundation Board, two members are appointed by the governor and one by the attorney general. Members will serve without compensation. Dr. Jon Sprague has been appointed as Attorney General Yost’s appointee to the Foundation’s Expert Panel.

Use this link to learn more about how you can apply. All applications must be received no later than February 17, 2023.

Ongoing Outreach to Ohio’s Thought Leaders

Interim Executive Director Kathryn Whittington has made it a top priority to directly engage leaders in Ohio’s health care, substance abuse treatment and recovery communities to update them on the Foundation’s progress and get their input on its ongoing work.

Recent meetings included with leaders of NAMI-Ohio and the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities. Other meetings have included the Ohio Hospital Association, the Health Policy Institute of Ohio and the Ohio Citizen Advocates for Addiction Recovery.

Groups interested in sharing ideas with the Foundation or meeting with a board representative can send an email to info@oneohiofoundation.com.

*Meeting with the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities team.*

Other Foundation Updates:

A Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy has been approved by the board and affirms the Foundation’s mission of service to all Ohioans in advancing the state’s prevention, treatment and recovery support services.

The board developed an Excess Benefit Transaction Policy, which is required to comply with Internal Revenue Code regulations for tax-exempt organizations.

The Foundation’s recently adopted Foundation’s Code of Regulations is now online. All board policy documents can be found on the "About" page of our website.

The Foundation has established an office at 1554 Polaris Parkway, Suite 325, in Columbus.

In the News:

Some of our board members have authored editorials in Ohio news publications. You can find links below to read them and please help us by sharing them with your contacts.

• "OneOhio Recovery Foundation Committed to Managing Opioid Settlement Funds" - Larry Kidd (Portsmouth Daily Times)

• "The OneOhio Recovery Foundation Will Safeguard the Public’s Interest in Opioid Settlement Money" - Kathryn Whittington (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

• "OneOhio Focused on Fair Distribution of Opioid Settlement Funding" - Don Mason (Zanesville Times Recorder)

• "Shelby County Claims Money for Recovery from Opioid Epidemic" - Julie Ehemann (Sidney Daily News)

• "Accountability Key for Distribution of Pharmaceutical Settlement Money" - Judy Dodge and Greta Mayer (Dayton Daily News)

• "New Resources and Cooperation Will Help Fight Addiction" - Jeff Fix (Lancaster Eagle Gazette)

• "Stark County's Share of Opioid Settlements Will Fight Abuse and Help Recovery" - Keith Hochadel (Canton Repository)