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ODA Newsletter Issue 7 Nov 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 November, 2025 Issue #7 Welcome back to our quarterly Newsletter!
2025 ODA Updates:
The Ohio Deflection Association has officially started the planning process for the 5 Annual Training Summit.th The Summit will be held January 20 - 23 , 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio th rd Stay tuned for more information!
ODA Updates
The Ohio Deflection Association County Map has been updated.
Please use this map as a resource to collaborate and coordinate with other QRTs and partners across the state of Ohio.
If you have any additional updates or corrections, please forward them to our Administrative Assistant admin@ohiodeflectionassociation.org ODA County Map Planning for the 2026 Summit is well underway!
Please keep an eye out for the official agenda, which will be released soon.
This years summit will feature an exciting lineup of topics, inspiring speakers, and valuable opportunities for collaboration.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Register Now!
Advanced pricing for the 2026 Summit will run until November 30th Member $375 Non-Member $425 2026 Summit Quick Links:
Registration Become a sponsor Become a Vendor/ Exhibitor Hotel Booking Award Nominations If you have any additional questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to reach out.
admin@ohiodeflectionassociation.org Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed Executive Order 2025-04D to suspend the normal rulemaking process to allow the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to adopt a rule allowing expanded access to tools to prevent drug overdoses. In addition to test strips and reagent kits for fentanyl, the rule, OAC 4729-8-02, exempts tests for the following compounds from the definition of drug paraphernalia under Ohio law:
Xylazine;
Medetomidine;
Benzimidazole-opioids (commonly referred to as nitazenes); and Benzodiazepine and benzodiazepine-related compounds.
Deflection Update
“Test strips and reagent kits are important components to reducing harm caused by illicit drugs,” said Ohio Board of Pharmacy Executive Director Steven W. Schierholt. “By decriminalizing these public health tools, we can help people who use drugs stay alive with the ultimate goal of recovery.”
\ Click here for more details 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 The Ohio Deflection Association Secretary, Nicole Jenkins has developed a new calendar, now available on our website, to keep everyone informed and up to date.
This centralized resource includes BRIDGE events, Outreach initiatives, funding opportunities and deadlines, as well as updates related to National Deflection Day/ Week If you would like to add an event to the calendar, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
admin@ohiodeflectionassociation.org
Useful Resources
Click here to see our website As part of our 2025 expansion efforts, we are pleased to announce the introduction of an official telephone line for enhanced support. our part-time Administrative Assistant will be available to assist you during the following hours:
Tuesdays: 11am- 4pm Wednesdays: 2pm- 5pm Thursdays: 10am-2pm Please feel free to call during these times should you or your team require any additional support.
513-319-7567 Strengthening Deflection Across Ohio: ODA’s Impact in 2025 Words from ODA President, Dan Meloy “In a significant organizational milestone, ODA conducted a search for our first Executive Director and selected Cmdr. (ret.) Tom Fallon. He began his service as ODA Executive Director in January, during the 2025 ODA Summit. Throughout this year, ODA partnered with each of Ohio’s five regions to host regional “Lunch and Learn” events- introducing the ODA regional representatives, facilitating community conversations about stigma, and showcasing Ohio’s “Early Warning Dashboard” with RecoveryOhio Director Erin Reed. These efforts underscore ODA’s ongoing commitment to community collaboration, innovation, and systems change.”
“In 2025, the Ohio Deflection Association (ODA) continued to expand its leadership role in advancing deflection and community-based crisis response. The year began with the ODA Summit in, January, drawing participation from 14 U.S. states and Canada, and featured nationally accredited training sessions and the presentation of ODA awards. ODA provided $19,000 in mini-grant awards to support 19 deflection initiatives, while distributing nearly $11,000 in outreach supplies to more than 30 teams across Ohio.”
The Deflection ECHO
Deflection ECHO Knowledge Hub Sign up for Deflection News
Sign Up Below
Ohio’s Deflection ECHO is a statewide learning community connecting law enforcement, peers, public health, fire/EMS, treatment providers, and other partners involved in deflection. Each one-hour monthly session includes a brief presentation followed by group consultation where teams can discuss scenarios, ask questions, and learn together in an “all teach, all learn”
environment.
Read below for more details.
The Deflection ECHO
Deflection ECHO
Sign Up Below
From Trends to Action: Addressing Xylazine and Medetomidine in the Field Current drug trends and practical considerations for overdose response and wound care.
Substance Use, Overdose, and Brain Injury: Integrating Trauma-Informed, Person- Centered Care An introduction to hypoxic/anoxic brain injury risk after overdose and ways to best support individuals at risk including communication strategies, accommodations, and resources.
Partnering with Hospital Emergency Departments: Practical Experience from Ohio Deflection Teams A panel featuring three Ohio teams who sharing their unique approaches to engaging hospitals and emergency departments to support warm handoffs and post-overdose linkage.
Stay Connected Sign up here for the Substance Use Deflection Initiative newsletter to receive updates on Deflection ECHO sessions, technical assistance, funding opportunities, tools, and statewide deflection news.
Bridging Recovery & Interdiction Data Gathering Enforcement. As 2025 ends we wanted to share some of the highlights that occurred across the state. This year we saw 17 counties hold Bridging Recovery Interdiction Data Gathering Enforcement (BRIDGE) events. BRIDGE brings together public safety and public health stakeholders in a collaborative effort to reduce the supply of drugs entering a community while simultaneously providing on demand treatment and recovery resources for low-level, nonviolent offenders with substance use disorders.
During the 2025 BRIDGE events, communities, Engaged with 8,401 citizens Served 970 meals for those with food instability Connected 30 people with BMV for reinstatement services Distributed 1,508 Naloxone kits Distributed 1,090 Fentanyl test strips Collected 62 lbs. of unused Rx medication Made 283 referrals to treatment Saw 96 people enter treatment programs during BRIDGE events.
Operation Bridge
If you have any questions, please reach out to
BRIDGE@dps.ohio.gov
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.