$250K grant to Trumbull County Jail aims to expand addiction treatment and mental health services

With addiction and mental health challenges growing inside Ohio jails, Trumbull County is now one of the first in the state to receive a major boost in resources aimed at tackling the crisis head-on.

On Tuesday, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced a $250,000 grant awarded to the Trumbull County Jail to expand treatment, mental health services, and reentry programs for inmates. The funding comes from Ohio’s share of national opioid lawsuit settlements.

“Trumbull County got this money before most counties in the state even stepped up,” said Yost. “The sad truth is that we’re not doing enough to target treatment for the drug addicted and the mentally ill—and that has to change.”

The grant will help fund two full-time social workers, a part-time nurse, group counseling sessions, and medication for inmates undergoing withdrawal. Sheriff Michael G. Wilson said the additional support will allow the jail to significantly increase its ability to intervene early and support long-term recovery.

“You can’t enforce addiction out of somebody—you actually have to provide the service they need to get help,” Sheriff Wilson said during a press conference. “We’re so grateful for this extra money that we’ll be able to use in a meaningful way.”

Jail officials say many of the people who cycle through the system suffer from co-occurring mental health and substance use issues. Until now, only limited services were available.

Yost noted that more than 200 people have died in custody in Ohio jails over the past four years—and at least 70 of those deaths were linked to substance abuse. He said this funding is “just one piece” of the broader puzzle Ohio needs to solve to address addiction, both behind bars and beyond.

The $250,000 is part of a three-year, $60 million statewide initiative. Trumbull County is also expected to receive an additional $50,000 to help cover the cost of withdrawal medications.

Officials say they are already working with providers to roll out the expanded programming as soon as possible, including plans for a reentry initiative to support inmates as they transition back into the community with job and housing support.

“This is about doing the right thing,” Yost said. “But it’s also an economic issue. People in addiction who can’t stay sober often can’t stay employed. This helps them—and it helps all of us.”