COLUMBUS – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced today that the Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) is now accepting applications for $2.3 million in funding to be awarded as part of the RecoveryOhio Law Enforcement Fund.
“I’m proud of the ongoing efforts of Ohio’s drug task forces to stop illegal drug activity in our state,” said DeWine. “This necessary funding will help cover expenses that these organizations incur while they keep our communities safe and help reduce and prevent drug use in Ohio.”
Grant funding will be used to support the mission of DeWine’s RecoveryOhio initiative which aims to increase mental health and substance use awareness, implement age-appropriate prevention education in schools, connect those who need help with treatment, and promote recovery.
Applications are due April 17, 2023 at 5 p.m. Projects may apply for up to 12 months operating from May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024.
The grant will only be awarded to a drug task force whose implementing agency participates in the Ohio Incident-Based Reporting System (OIBRS) or in the Uniform Crime Reporting program as set forth in section 5502.62(C)(6) of the Ohio Revised Code.
For technical assistance on any part of the application, call OCJS at 614.466.7782 and ask to speak to the grants coordinator. For more information about grants, please visit http://www.ocjs.ohio.gov/grants.stm.
Since taking office in 2019, DeWine has developed several initiatives to address the issues of drug trafficking and substance use disorder in Ohio. Governor DeWine signed an executive order creating the RecoveryOhio initiative to support aggressive measures to combat the opiate epidemic by investing in the health and well-being of Ohio citizens. Through the RecoveryOhio Law Enforcement Fund, local drug task forces have received millions to intercept illegal drugs and enhance their role in substance use awareness, prevention, and recovery. RecoveryOhio has also worked to expand access to specialized court dockets to give judges flexibility to place defendants with mental health or substance use disorders into treatment rather than sentencing them to jail.
DeWine also created the Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center in 2019 to support local law enforcement agencies in intelligence-focused drug trafficking investigations and secured funding for the development of several Major Drug Interdiction Task Forces that target trans-national drug trafficking cartels. The Ohio Crime Lab Efficiency Program that Governor DeWine launched last year supports local crime laboratories to help them efficiently analyze drugs associated with criminal investigations.
