More Ohioans enrolled in a certified drug court treatment program will get help through an expansion of a state program.

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) Bureau of Criminal Justice on Sept. 20 expanded the Addiction Treatment Program (ATP) to eight additional counties in Ohio. The ATP started as a pilot project in fiscal year 2014-15 and expanded to serve 14 counties in FY 2016.

The program decreases financial barriers to addiction treatment services and recovery for offenders seeking treatment in a certified drug court, have an opioid and/or alcohol use disorder, and are deemed eligible for medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Treatment through the program includes MAT in conjunction with other clinical services offered by certified treatment providers.

Butler, Clermont, Lake, Lorain, Lucas, Mahoning, Stark, and Trumbull counties have been added. The program will also continue in Allen, Clinton, Cuyahoga, Franklin, Gallia, Hamilton, Hardin, Hocking, Jackson, Marion, Mercer, Montgomery, Summit, and Warren counties.