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ODA Newsletter Issue 5 March 2025
Ohio Deflection Association delivers support around public safety for the health and wellbeing of those struggling with substance use and mental health disorders. Through the development of deflection and pre-arrest diversion strategies, support tools and facilitating the education of community partners providing outreach services. Focusing on real life challenges with real time solutions by providing communities with education, guidance and resources.
NEWSLETTER
ODA Quarterly Latest Deflection News & Information March, 2025 Issue #5 Welcome back to our quarterly Newsletter!
2025 ODA Updates:
We had a great 4th Summit in January filled with learning, networking and fellowship. We hope all that attended were able to make some new connections.
See more details below
Ohio Deflection Association 4th Annual
Summit
The Award Ceremony was a great way to acknowledge all of the great work being done by these amazing teams!
A Mini Grant Awarded to the Pickaway County PORT An Award for Franklin County SAFER Station For their hard work as a Peer- Led Team Ohio Deflection Association 4th Annual
Summit
Erin Reed Presenting on RecoveryOhio’s Overdose Early Warning Dashboard ODA President, Dan Meloy Presenting during a Breakout Session Attendees joining in on Plenary Session Presentations
Important Update
In January 2025, The Ohio Deflection Association hired an Executive Director.
Tom Fallon will serve as a principal advisor to the Ohio Deflection Association Board, guiding all policy matters related to services, growth and operations. Tom Fallon tfallon@hcso.org Scotlynn Duff odaassociate@gmail.com In response to the overwhelming crisis of overdose deaths in Hamilton County between 2013 and 2015, Commander Fallon was entrusted by the Hamilton County Association of Chiefs of Police to establish a task force that would investigate overdose deaths, tracing them back to the suppliers and holding drug dealers accountable.
Additionally, he created and led the Hamilton County Quick Response Team, a pioneering initiative where law enforcement officers collaborate with trained navigators to provide community-based services. These services address substance use, mental health, homelessness, and other critical needs.
Commander Fallon has also been working very closely with the Ohio Deflection Association Administrative Assistant, Scotlynn Duff. They will attend many events in the field this year as well as hosting regional training events alongside our Regional Representatives.
RecoveryOhio’s Overdose Early Warning Dashboard is a groundbreaking tool designed to predict when communities may be at heightened risk for a spike in drug overdoses, so local leaders can take action in time to save lives.
The first-of-its-kind dashboard draws upon a variety of data sources to pinpoint ZIP codes at increased risk for overdoses up to 30 days in advance – providing local leaders with a critical window for intervention.
Useful Resources
Click here for more information Community Support Supplies odaassociate@gmail.com
UPDATE
In 2025, The Ohio Deflection Association started a new program to further assist Deflection teams across Ohio, we are taking and fulfilling orders for community support supplies. Items such as Hygiene Kits, Wound Care Kits, Narcan, Fentanyl Test Strips, Hand and Body Warmers & Blankets....
If your team had placed an order this year, we experienced a procurement delay, the issue was resolved, and your supplies are on the way! For any questions or concerns, please contact our Administrative Assistant, Scotlynn Duff.
The Deflection ECHO is intended to build a network and community for Ohio quick/overdose response/deflection teams. Medical first responders, law enforcement, peers, and treatment providers, etc are encouraged to join the monthly one-hour session designed to share promising practices amongst one another to help respond to what teams face in the field. The hour includes a brief informational presentation followed by consultation time so that teams can share scenarios or ask questions and learn from one another. Sign up now!
A primary role of the Deflection Initiative is collecting, providing access to, and disseminating information on promising and best practices. Our newly launched Knowledge Hub serves as a central location for resources, innovations, and programs that will promote progress, advance the field of deflection, and support teams around the state.
A document repository, deflection literature, and local and national resources can currently be found on the site.
Knowledge Hub
The Deflection ECHO
Deflection ECHO Knowledge Hub Sign up for Deflection News
Sign Up Below
Bridging Recovery & Interdiction Data Gathering Enforcement. The Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) in collaboration with other state, local and private entities are driving two statewide community outreach days called Operation BRIDGE Days. The focus will be a collaborative effort to identify resources and build partnerships between law enforcement and outreach within the community. The goal is to have participation in all 88 counties in the State of Ohio.
For more information on future operations or if you would like to participate, please email BRIDGE@dps.ohio.gov.
Operation Bridge Bridging Recovery & Interdiction Data Gathering Enforcement. Operation Bridge In October ODA Board Member and former South- Central Ohio Major Crimes Unit Commander Dennis Lowe accepted a new position with Ohio Department of Public Safety Office of Criminal Justice Services as the Ohio Drug Task Forces Liaison and Operation BRIDGE Coordinator. In his new position Dennis will work closely with Ohio’s multi-jurisdictional law enforcement task forces and oversee Operation BRIDGE for the Department of Public Safety. BRIDGE is a multi- disciplinary deflection program bringing together public safety and behavioral/mental health partners in a coordinated effort to address the supply of illicit drugs entering communities while offering community resources and expedited access to treatment for those with substance use disorders.
If you would like more information on BRIDGE or are interested in hosting a BRIDGE event in your community click the link below to learn more Click here for more Information
Training Opportunity
Introduction to Trauma-Informed Care for Post Overdose Outreach Teams :
This is an online course that aims to equip first responders and post-overdose outreach teams with the background and tools to implement a trauma-informed response when interacting with a person who has experienced an overdose.
The course is divided into 5 modules. All modules will need to be completed in order to complete the requirements for course completion.
Click here for more information on this course
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events
Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition 10 year anniversary event Click here to register Doors Open at 12:30PM From Emergency to Sustainability: Building a System of Care Panel | 1:00PM - 2:00PM Networking Reception | 2:00–2:30 PM Transforming Grief into Positive Action: Stories of Resilience and Community Change | 2:30PM - 3:30PM
Upcoming Events
Prevention Action Alliance
Ohio Alcohol Conference 2025
Enhancing Prevention Approached for Underserved Communities
Register Here
Available Funding Opportunities
ODA Mini Grants
OhioMHAS Trauma Informed
Intervention Grants
The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) releases this Request for Applications (RFA) for the purpose of soliciting applications from qualified non-profit organizations, governmental entities, schools, local ADAMHS and Recovery Services Boards to provide trauma-informed care services that reach families, organizations, communities and/or regional levels with new innovative scalable trauma-informed care approaches, best-practices, and prevention and intervention programs or ideas.
click here for more details Since the Fall of 2024, the Ohio Deflection Association (ODA) has awarded $13,000 in funding to support 13 community-based initiatives and teams through the $1,000 mini-grant program. These grants have helped strengthen local deflection efforts across the state.
ODA remains committed to identifying additional funding sources to sustain this program. However, due to the volume of recent applications, we are temporarily closing the application process. Please check this site for updates on future funding opportunities.
Click Here Available Funding Opportunities
OPIOID REMEDIATION GRANT APPLICATION
Improving Outcomes for Substance-Addicted Inmates in Ohio Jails Follow this link for more information To overcome the challenges posed by substance-addicted inmates, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost will use $60 million in opioid settlement money negotiated by his office to establish grants to help counties prioritize addiction treatment in jails and reduce the number of fatal overdoses. It is important to note that these grants funds cannot be used to supplant or replace existing spending on addiction services for inmates. For year one (Calendar Year 2025), $20 million will be made available to local jails to create or expand their programming. For year two (CY2026), $20 million will be available for continuation of the new or expanded programming. An additional $20 million is being earmarked for CY2027 to continue support of these programs. The funds are being placed into an interest-bearing account so strategic investments can continue to be made in support of these services.