In a statement, DeWine said the study will allow Ohio to “expand its efforts to address the substance use crisis that is taking a toll on families across the state in a comprehensive, collaborative way.” His administration in January launched the RecoveryOhio initiative which aims to to improve prevention, treatment and recovery support efforts that address mental health and substance use.

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Ohio State President Michael Drake attended the HHS ceremony announcing the grants. He said the Ohio study aims to find the best solutions to the opioid crisis and scale them up quickly in order to help as many people as quickly as possible.

“We are committed to doing everything we can to end this public health crisis in our state and, through our example, beyond,” he said.

The study is funded and supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, in partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

In 2017, 4,293 Ohioans died from opioid-related overdoses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – 39.2 opioid-related overdose deaths per 100,000 people, a rate that is second only to West Virginia.