Ohio’s OneOhio Recovery Foundation announced Tuesday that it will distribute $112 million in opioid settlement funds to counties and treatment organizations across the state in 2026, with the largest allocations going to communities in Appalachian and rural Ohio that have experienced the highest rates of overdose deaths. The funding represents the third annual distribution from the $808 million in settlement proceeds Ohio secured as part of national litigation against opioid manufacturers and distributors.
The distribution comes as Ohio continues to grapple with the devastating legacy of the opioid epidemic, which claimed more than 4,300 lives in the state in 2024 — a figure that has remained stubbornly high despite years of public health intervention. Southern and southeastern Ohio counties including Scioto, Lawrence, Adams, and Pike consistently rank among the highest per-capita overdose death rates in the nation.
OneOhio Foundation Executive Director Joanna Kuebler said the foundation has worked closely with communities to ensure funds are directed toward evidence-based programs. “We are focused on making sure that every dollar reaches the people who need it most and is spent on interventions we know work,” Kuebler said. Priority areas for funding include treatment and recovery services, harm reduction programs including naloxone distribution and syringe service programs, prevention education, and recovery housing.
Among the major grants announced Tuesday, Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus received $8.2 million to expand its Behavioral Health programs addressing adolescent substance use. The Addiction Services Council of Cuyahoga County was awarded $6.1 million for an expanded residential treatment initiative. Scioto County received a direct $4.4 million allocation to fund a comprehensive county-wide recovery support system.
At the national level, the broader opioid settlement framework continues to evolve, with additional litigation ongoing against pharmacy chains and consulting firms. Legal experts expect a further round of settlement proceeds to flow to Ohio within the next two years, potentially adding hundreds of millions more to the state’s recovery infrastructure.
Advocates for people in recovery praised the distribution but cautioned that funding alone cannot solve the crisis without addressing underlying issues of poverty, trauma, and lack of access to healthcare in the most affected communities. “The money is necessary but not sufficient,” said Keith Bradley, director of the Ohio Addiction Recovery Center. “We need sustained political will and systemic investment in the social determinants of health.”
Applications for next year’s distribution cycle will open in September 2026. Eligible organizations can find program guidelines on the OneOhio Foundation website.
