We’ve all read the stories about Ohio being ground zero for the opiate epidemic as we know it. But what we don’t always hear about is how easy it is to get help with addiction and mental health compared to other states. Let’s briefly get into why that is.

Access to Healthcare and Presumptive Medicaid

Ohio is a state that has spent a lot of time listening to its community members when it comes to trying to find help for its struggling citizens. From the governor down, everyone has had a friend or loved one who has been affected by it. And what was the first thing they heard? We need treatment covered under Medicaid. In Ohio, not only do the managed care providers allow substance use disorder to be covered under each of their plans, but they also allow for presumptive Medicaid. That means that even if you are completely uninsured and have absolutely nothing, you can make a phone call in the morning and be in treatment by the afternoon. This has expanded access to treatment to all of those who need it, not just those who can afford it.

Community Love and Support

We have made huge strides in Ohio when it comes to changing the narrative surrounding the drug epidemic. The stigma of living in chaotic drug use still exists, but it’s been minimized dramatically over the past few years. There are entire communities of people all over the state that rally around those in early recovery and are willing to employ them and help them become productive members of our state. News outlets state and nationwide devote airtime and print to the thousands of success stories we see each year of people overcoming addiction and going on to make huge impacts in their respective communities.

Huge Recovery Presence

There are many paths to recovery, but I cannot talk about Ohio without mentioning one by name. Alcoholics Anonymous was born here. What this means for someone in early recovery is simple. You have the ability to immediately find a huge social network of people who are on fire for recovery. Finding help for addiction in Columbus, for example, becomes a lot easier when you have thousands of people waiting for you with open arms.

So, if you are struggling with addiction in Ohio, all you have to do is pick up the phone. There are people in every single city just waiting for you to join them. And guess what? They want you to be a part of the community and more importantly — they need you. If you don’t having a starting point, or have a friend or loved one struggling with substance use disorder, call Forward Health at (614) 567-6274.

Jake Bradshaw
Co-founder of Forward Health