The Latest Updates: August 2023
Gov. DeWine Names Alisha Nelson as Foundation’s First Executive Director
Alisha Nelson, a longtime leader in Ohio’s behavioral health community, has been appointed executive director of the OneOhio Recovery Foundation. On Monday, August 21, Governor Mike DeWine held a press conference announcing the appointment.
Nelson has a proven track record of working to fight addiction and specifically to end the opioid epidemic in Ohio, said Foundation Board Chair Larry Kidd.
“We believe Alisha Nelson is the person who can take the Foundation to the next level as we prepare for the crux of our mission – working with the 19 regions and Ohio’s prevention, treatment and recovery community to distribute settlement funds and save lives,” Kidd said.
Nelson most recently served for nearly two years in the private sector as Director of Behavioral Health Strategy for one of Ohio’s Medicaid managed care organizations, and previously worked on addiction issues in the administration of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
You can read the full news release here.
News 5 Cleveland: “How Ohio is handling the billions in opioid manufacturer and distributor settlement money”
OneOhio Recovery Foundation Board members Keith Hochadel (Region 6) and Judge David Matia (Region 3) recently spoke with News 5 Cleveland about the work underway to carry out the Foundation’s mission of saving lives.
Foundation Welcomes New Board Members
The Foundation recently welcomed four new Board members: Kevin Stanek (appointed by Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens); Representative Rachel Baker (appointed by Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo); Dawn Tyler Lee (appointed to represent Region 1); and Kathryn Whittington (reappointed to represent Region 13 following her service as interim executive director). A complete list of current Board members is available on the Foundation's website.
Board Thanks Kathryn Whittington For Her Service as Interim Executive Director
At its August meeting, the Foundation’s Board of Directors thanked Kathryn Whittington for the time and energy she devoted as the board’s interim executive director and welcomed her back to her original seat on the board.
“Without her dedication to the Foundation’s success, we wouldn’t be where we are today,” Kidd said. “I’m delighted to have her back on the board and am happy she will be serving as the newest member of the grant-making committee.”
International Overdose Awareness Day & National Recovery Month
Ending overdoses begins with acknowledging the grief and pain caused by the impact of overdoses, and there is no better way to start than by marking International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31. This year’s IOAD theme is “Recognizing those people who go unseen,” a way of remembering without stigma people in communities affected by overdoses but who aren’t always visible in the midst of the crisis. To join an event, get resources, and more, visit OverdoseDay.com.
September is also National Recovery Month, which is a time to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the nation’s strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and communities who make recovery in all its forms possible. Learn more here.
Honoring Those Impacted by the Opioid Epidemic
The Board of Directors begins its meetings by recognizing individuals and families harmed by the opioid epidemic. Committing this time to affected Ohioans is an important reminder of the crucial role OneOhio plays in the fight to end the epidemic. Read more about the families and individuals recognized by clicking the links below.
IRS Confirms the Foundation’s Status as a Non-Government Entity
The Internal Revenue Service has granted the OneOhio Recovery Foundation tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The designation applies retroactively, with an effective date of December 3, 2021. Learn more here.
Maintaining a Commitment to Transparency
In light of recent state budget action by Ohio lawmakers to reaffirm the Foundation as a non-government entity – and the IRS’s designation of OneOhio as a 501(c)(3) organization – the Foundation’s 29-member board understands that OneOhio supports a broader public mission, and will continue to seek to operate as the most transparent nonprofit organization in the state of Ohio.
“Our all-volunteer board has a deep commitment to transparency, and the way we operate will continue to stay the same,” Kidd said. “Open meetings, an open grant process, an open financial system. Our record of transparency speaks for itself and is a good indicator of how we’ll continue to operate. We also have enacted policies by which we’re required to operate, including public reporting of our finances, transparency policies, grant policies outlining criteria and decision-making processes, and other essential governance practices.”
Foundation Receives Third J&J and Distributor Settlement Payments
As the Foundation receives opioid settlement payments over the next several years, the OneOhio Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) allows the Board 90 days from receipt of each payment to allocate those funds for future use in the form of region initiative grants, statewide initiative grants, investments, and operating funds. Settlement funds recently received by the Foundation include:
• $10,556,674.14 from the J&J settlement (Year 3 payment), received on June 16, 2023
• $17,234,914.98 from the Distributor settlement (Year 3 payment), received on August 2, 2023
In accordance with the OneOhio MOU’s 90-day deadline, the Board at its August meeting took action to invest for future use the full $27,791,589.12 recently received.
To date, OneOhio has received:
• $51.8 million from the Distributors (AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health & McKesson)
• $30.6 million from J&J/Janssen
• $3.7 million from Mallinckrodt
A summary of current settlement funding projections can be found here.
A summary of current regional allocations can be found here. (Note: Current regional allocations are comprised of a portion of the Year 1 and Year 2 Distributor and J&J settlement payments, which were received by the Foundation in late March and allocated by the Board at its April meeting.)
Grant Process Update
Over the past several months, the Board’s Grant Oversight Committee has moved the Foundation closer to inviting organizations across the state to submit grant applications to help in the fight against drug abuse and addiction. Grant awards will be allocated by the Foundation from funds received through multiple opioid settlements.
During the July Board meeting, Dr. Greta Mayer, Region 14 Board appointee and vice chair of the Grant Oversight Committee, provided an update on the committee’s work. While many details are not yet finalized, Dr. Mayer outlined the key principles that the committee has developed to guide the process. Mayer stressed that, first and foremost, the Foundation is committed to developing a grant process built on accountability and compliance, demonstrating a commitment to transparency, inclusiveness, and responsiveness. Additionally, the Foundation will rely on experts and those impacted by addiction to help determine regional and statewide grant funding priorities.
As the Grant Oversight Committee continues its work, all committee meetings, including those held virtually, are announced in advance, are open to the public, and meeting minutes are available online. As details of the grant process are finalized, OneOhio will share updates on its website, via email, and via social media.
The Grant Policy is available here.
Fact Sheets & Resources Available to Learn More about OneOhio
The OneOhio Recovery Foundation is committed to helping Ohioans get the information they need to fully understand the Foundation’s opioid settlement distribution process, as outlined in the OneOhio Memorandum of Understanding. Fact sheets and other resources have been developed explaining the Foundation’s history, structure, responsibilities, funding, and – most importantly – how the Foundation’s 55 percent share of opioid settlement funds will be used to support addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery across the state. We encourage Ohioans to download these fact sheets, and to check back for updates as the organization’s work moves forward. Please visit OneOhioFoundation.com/Resources to learn more.
OneOhio Board Meeting Recaps
Following every OneOhio Board meeting, a summary of the meeting is shared with stakeholders and posted on the Foundation’s website, along with a video of the meeting. Visit the links below to read about and watch recent meetings:
• July 12 Board Meeting Recap
• August 9 Board Meeting Recap
The next Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 10:30 a.m. at the Ohio Chamber of Commerce (34 S. 3rd St., Columbus 43215). All Board meetings are publicly announced and open to the public. Information about past and future meetings is available at OneOhioFoundation.com/Meetings.
Follow Us on Social Media
The Foundation is committed to operating in an open, transparent manner. Along with making all meetings open to the public and available to watch online, we regularly post updates on our website, on social media and share the latest news through emails like this. Growing our social media following is key to ensuring that stakeholders across the state have the latest information about the Foundation, and we need your help.
If you or your organization don't already follow the OneOhio Recovery Foundation on Twitter and Facebook, please take a moment to use the buttons below to do so right now:
As we begin our work together to support prevention, treatment and recovery efforts across the state, we kindly ask that you share our social media updates with your contacts and encourage others to sign up for updates.
