Lucas County Residents Can Help Decide How Opioid Settlement Funds Are Spent
Toledo, OH, September 16, 2025— The Mental Health & Recovery Services Board is calling on all community members to participate in a vital survey that will help decide how millions of dollars in opioid settlement funds are invested. This input will directly guide the allocation of resources to address the ongoing addiction crisis and support recovery efforts across the region.
The survey, https://bit.ly/OpioidSurveyLC, which is open until September 30, 2025, is a chance for residents to help prioritize strategies for addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery services. The funds are a direct result of settlements with numerous pharmaceutical companies and distributors that were held accountable for their role in the national opioid crisis. See attached QR code for easy survey access.
“I can’t stress enough how vital input is from the community,” said Matt Bell, Region 4 OneOhio Foundation Board Chair. “The opioid settlement funds we oversee are meant to bring healing, resources, and long-term solutions to the communities we all call home. To make sure these dollars create the greatest impact, we need to hear directly from you – the families, neighbors, and leaders who live with these challenges every day. Your feedback will guide our funding priorities and ensure that every decision we make is rooted in the real needs of our community.”
The confidential and brief survey covers key areas of potential funding, including: Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), Peer Recovery Support Services, Recovery Housing, Harm Reduction (e.g., Naloxone), Youth Prevention Programs, Community Education & Stigma Reduction, Family Support Services, Crisis Stabilization Services, Criminal Justice Diversion, Transportation & Access to Care. Residents of Lucas County are strongly encouraged to complete the survey and share it with friends, family, and colleagues to help spread the word.
“This is an opportunity for our community to turn tragedy into a path toward healing,” said Scott Sylak, Region 4 OneOhio Foundation Director and Executive Director of the Mental Health & Recovery Services Board of Lucas County. “These settlement funds are a direct result of our state’s fight for accountability, and they are critical for saving lives and rebuilding communities. We must ensure these dollars go where they can do the most good—and that starts with listening to the people who have been most affected.”
The Mental Health and Recovery Services Board (MHRSB), serving the community for over 55 years, was established to serve the behavioral health needs of Lucas County residents. The MHRSB is an integrated behavioral health services planning and monitoring organization responsible for planning, funding, monitoring, and evaluating Lucas County’s community-based mental health and addiction recovery services. Those services are currently delivered through a network of non-profit, and other community-based agencies. For more information on MHRSB, please call the office or visit www.LCMHRSB.oh.gov.
Information regarding OneOhio Recovery Foundation can be found at www.oneohiofoundation.com