Over the past four years, at least 219 people incarcerated in Ohio jails have died, according to an investigation from a team of Ohio newspapers released in June. Of these deaths, around one in three were attributed to substance abuse.
Substance abuse among jail inmates isn't unique to Ohio. According to the National Institute of Health, an estimated 65% of the U.S. prison population has active substance use disorders.
More than two-thirds of Ohio jails provide medication to help those going through detox, but a large treatment gap remains. Withdrawal can be a challenging and painful process, and many inmates require around-the-clock monitoring and support.
In some Ohio counties, such as Hamilton, Franklin and Stark, programs that tackle these issues show promising results. And since last March, the Summit County Outreach team has responded to 800 mental health calls in the community, hoping to divert people away from jail.
Now, the Summit County Sheriff's Office is starting a new initiative at the county jail to address substance issues.
Wednesday on the "Sound of Ideas," Summit County Sheriff Kandy Fatheree talks more about the new program and a shift toward addressing mental health and addiction within the criminal justice system.
Later in the hour, Summit County employers can become Recovery Friendly Workplaces through a program led by the county's public health department. The initiative intends to support employees in recovery, boost productivity and cut substance misuse costs.
The program reports that employers can save an average of $8,500 per recovering employee annually. Local participants include United Way, the Akron-Summit County Public Library and County Executive Ilene Shapiro's office.
To end the hour, we'll hear about an innovative idea to bring audiences back to local theaters.
Cleveland Public Theater looks to reinvent the live theater experience through Soft Launch 2025, a weekend-long performance festival. In Mansfield, an Emerging Artists Festival has commenced on select dates through the end of January.
Ideastream Public Media's Kabir Bhatia will share more about how both theaters are looking to bring people back into the theater and out of their comfort zones.
Guests:
-Kandy Fatheree, Sheriff, Summit County
-Maggie Urban-Waala, Public Health Coordinator, Summit County Public Health
-Denise Thomas, Director, Community Impact and Health, United Way Summit & Medina
-Ben McMillan, Founder, Rubber City Reuse
-Kabir Bhatia, Arts & Culture Reporter, Ideastream Public Media
-Raymond Bobgan, Executive Artistic Director, Cleveland Public Theatre
-Michael Thomas, Artistic Director Emeritus, Mansfield Renaissance Theatre
-Chelsie Thompson, President & CEO, Mansfield Renaissance Theatre
-Ryan Shealy, Associate Artistic Director of Mansfield Renaissance Theatre
