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Hamilton County approves $1.9 million joint local grant round to expand prevention and recovery services
Summary
The Hamilton County Board of Commissioners approved six locally run grants — funded in part by a $1.9 million payment from the City of Cincinnati — to support youth prevention, recovery supports and hospital-based early intervention programs.
The Board of Hamilton County Commissioners voted May 8 to approve six locally administered grants and a related intergovernmental agreement with the City of Cincinnati that together fund prevention, recovery and early-intervention services across the county.
The funding round, presented as part of the county’s 1 Ohio local contracts process, includes $1.9 million from the City of Cincinnati and grants to five local organizations and programs that target youth prevention, peer recovery supports and emergency-department screening and referral.
The county and city shared that the awards are intended to expand evidence-informed prevention and recovery services and to create measurable outcomes. "This is week 2 of the 1 Ohio local contracts," said Megan Guthrie, a county staff member involved in the review, explaining the joint city–county review and awarding process. The University of Cincinnati will serve as the evaluator for the local round, the county said.
Key awards approved by the board:
- YMCA of Greater Cincinnati — $300,000 for a new "Healthy Futures" prevention project embedded in the YMCA’s existing youth programming. The YMCA estimated the project will reach about 848 children and 120 parents through school-site and before/after-school activities and parent sessions.
- Addiction Services Council — $400,000 for a Recovery Justice Collaborative providing intensive peer support and case management for justice-involved adults with substance use disorders. "Hand holding and, but not to the point of enabling, get helping them become independent, getting them to that first appointment," said Lisa Martz of the Addiction Services Council, describing the program’s emphasis on peer support and assistance with basics such as transportation and initial medical appointments.
- Easterseals (Redwood) — $321,000 to expand veteran-focused peer support and workforce development services; the program’s stated goal is to serve about 85 veterans with a target of 55 achieving stable, permanent employment during recovery.
- Gladhouse — $200,000 for prevention and youth mental health services (CHAMPS program), supporting counseling and cultural-enrichment activities for children ages roughly 5–12 and their families.
- University of Cincinnati (Early Intervention Program) — $296,000 to restore staffing reduced in late 2024 and to resume emergency-department screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (ED SBIRT) activities. The UC team said it screens in the ED and links patients to community partners; the award is intended to return the ED program to full staffing and expand community outreach.
Commissioners said contracts will include performance metrics and an independent evaluation. "We have a contract with the University of Cincinnati ... as the evaluators on the project. We have established metrics that were required for each abatement strategy as well as project specific," a county presenter said.
The board approved the package on a voice vote recorded by the clerk: Commissioner Denise Driehaus, Commissioner Stephanie Summer O'Dimmas and Commissioner Alicia Reese voted yes to approve items 1–6 together.
What’s next: agreements and subawards will be executed with each grantee, the county said, and UC’s evaluation will track service counts and project-specific outcomes.
