Together, they work to combat addiction, save lives, reduce stigma, and inspire hope. Please visit the HC ARC tab for more information.
Our office includes five divisions: the Addiction Response Coalition, Quick Response Team, Op**te Litigation Funds, He**in Task Force support, and grants management. The Hamilton County Office of Addiction Response supports the initiatives of the Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition, manages OneOhio Op**te Litigation Funds both local and regional allocations, oversees county-wide deflectio
n programs through the Quick Response Team, and provides administrative support to the Hamilton County He**in Task Force and other special projects related to addiction and treatment programs across the county. ADDICTION RESPONSE COALITION:
A collective of community members, leaders, advocates, and experts working to end the opioid epidemic by connecting prevention, treatment, public health, and law enforcement resources to provide care when and where it’s needed most, holistically treating the illness, saving lives, and strengthening families for the health and wellness of Hamilton County. A 20-Member steering committee meets on a monthly basis with the Full Coalition meeting quarterly. QUICK RESPONSE TEAM:
The Quick Response Team (QRT) is a co-responder deflection program that provides community-based substance use, mental health, homelessness, and other needs-based services, with the immediate goal of connecting Hamilton County residents with the most appropriate care specific to their needs. QRT approaches all encounters with the simple message: "How can we help you?"
ONEOHIO OP**TE LITIGATION:
Hamilton County has entered into a settlement agreement with multiple opioid manufacturers and distributors which will result in payouts of over $800 Million to Ohio, its communities, to respond to the opioid crisis. 55% of the settlement dollars are poised to flow through a state-level foundation for ultimate distribution to the nineteen regional foundations establish in Ohio and 30% flows to local governments. The Hamilton County Office of Addiction Response supports the Region 2 and OneOhio Hamilton County local funds. HAMILTON COUNTY HE**IN TASK FORCE:
Established in early 2015 by the Hamilton County Association of Chief of Police, the task force was created a clear mission: to investigate all-source dealers linked to overdoses and overdose deaths, and to prosecute these source dealers under applicable State of Ohio and Federal charges. Additionally, the task force aims to foster cooperation and coordination among the various agencies in Hamilton County involved in drug offense investigations. GRANTS MANAGEMENT & OPERATIONS:
Ohio Deflection Association
Opioid Affected Youth Initiative
Hamilton County Drug Treatment and Recovery Court
Hamilton County Justice Center - Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Induction & the CARE Pods
Addiction doesn’t discriminate – it affects all kinds of people, from all kinds of backgrounds, from every neighborhood across our county. It’s a chronic illness, not a choice. MISSION STATEMENT:
The mission of the Office of Addiction Response is to address the addiction crisis in Hamilton County by connecting individuals to the right resources and treatments, breaking down barriers, and implementing comprehensive solutions. We are a collective force of community members, leaders, advocates, and experts dedicated to saving lives, strengthening families, and fighting addiction for the health and wellness of all. VISION STATEMENT:
Our vision is to create a community where the addiction crisis no longer claims lives or devastates families. We strive to be a trusted and reliable resource that provides access to care, prevention options, treatment specialists, public health officials, and law enforcement. Through our expertise in prevention, treatment, harm reduction, first responders/criminal justice, faith community, and business community, we aim to deeply and holistically treat this chronic illness. We are driven by the belief that addiction is not a choice but a chronic illness, and we are committed to making a real difference by connecting the right resources for real results. Together, we will end the addiction crisis in our community and ensure the well-being of every individual affected by addiction.
06/01/2026
The Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition, in collaboration with On the Front Lines Community Alliance, is hosting a Microsoft Office Training Series to help you master the essentials!
Whether you want to build better spreadsheets, create stunning presentations, or organize your inbox, we’ve got you covered.
Training Schedule:
July 8 | Word 📝
August 12 | PowerPoint 📊
September 23 | Excel 📈
October 14 | Outlook ✉️
🕒 Time & Location
Time: 9AM – 10:30AM (All sessions)
Where: Hamilton County Central Campus
1701 Patricia McCollum Way, Cincinnati, Ohio 45237
Training Room A & B (1st Floor)
⚠️ Important Requirement: Please bring your own laptop with MS Office already installed!
🎟️ How to Register: Scan the QR codes on the flyer below to secure your spot for each individual monthly session.
05/27/2026
⚠️ OVERDOSE ALERT ⚠️
This alert is being issued collaboratively by local public health partners and the Hamilton County Office of Addiction Response to increase community awareness and support overdose prevention efforts.
Ongoing surveillance of overdose activity since Wednesday, May 20, has identified concerning trends in Hamilton County:
▪️ 12 suspected overdose deaths occurred between Wednesday, May 20 and Tuesday, May 26
▪️ 4 of the 12 reported deaths occurred on Saturday, May 23
▪️ 5 overdose-related emergency department visits occurred on Monday, May 25
Current trends suggest a potential change in the potency of the local drug supply. FENTANYL, POTENT FENTANYL ANALOGUES, AND OTHER SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS within the drug supply can increase the risk of an overdose. However, at this time, we are not certain of what substances contributed to these deaths.
🚨 IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION 🚨
• Naloxone saves lives. Carry more than one dose — multiple doses may be needed.
• Naloxone is not just for people who inject drugs.
• Never use alone. If an overdose occurs, the person cannot administer naloxone to themselves.
• Drugs such as co***ne, crack co***ne, he**in, and methamphetamine may contain fentanyl or other dangerous substances, even when opioids are not expected.
• Overdoses can occur from stimulants alone, including co***ne and crack co***ne.
• Fentanyl test strips only detect fentanyl. Medetomidine and xylazine test strips are also available through Hamilton County Public Health.
• Using again shortly after naloxone reversal can cause another overdose.
If you suspect someone is overdosing:
📞 Call 911 immediately and do not leave the person alone.
📍 Need naloxone, testing strips, or overdose prevention supplies?
Contact Hamilton County Public Health at 513-316-7725.
📍 Treatment is open and available.
If you need help, call 513-558-8888.
We are sharing this alert to ensure community members know that help is available, naloxone is accessible, and overdose prevention resources are available throughout our region.
We also encourage service providers and first responders to:
• Ensure necessary personal protective equipment is available and utilized
• Be prepared to administer multiple doses of naloxone, if needed
Your awareness and partnership are critical in helping protect our community.
Offices under the Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners will be closed on May 25, 2026 in observance of Memorial Day. 🇺🇸
Regular business hours resume Tuesday, May 26.
05/21/2026
Our team is currently relocating to the Hamilton County Central Campus.
We appreciate your patience as we move through this process. We may experience intermittent IT and phone disruptions during this time, but expect to be fully operational by Wednesday, May 27th.
In the meantime, if you run into any challenges contacting us on our main line, you can call/text (513) 659-7671, or send us a message here.
05/15/2026
We are incredibly proud of our partners at the Hamilton County He**in Task Force (HCTF)!
Earlier this week, HCTF Commander Michael Davenport, Ohio National Guard Counterdrug Program Criminal Investigative Analyst Sgt. Grant Armbruster, and University of Cincinnati PhD Fellow Lindsey Insco presented at the Cold Case Training Summit on the innovative work of the HCTF Fatal Overdose Cold Case Unit.
Their presentation highlighted the use of digital forensic intelligence, the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration, and the ongoing efforts to identify and pursue accountability in overdose-related deaths.
Just as important, they shared the outside-the-box approaches being used to support prevention efforts and provide grief support to the loved ones of decedents whose cases have been reopened.
A special thank you to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and the Office of the Ohio Attorney General for including the HCTF in this important programming and for supporting continued innovation in overdose investigations and response efforts.
05/12/2026
Yesterday, our Prevention Stakeholder Group came together to discuss current drug trends, review results from the PreventionFIRST! student survey, continue progress on developing our prevention directory, and kick off logic model planning to strengthen comprehensive prevention strategies across Hamilton County.
We are incredibly grateful for the leadership and commitment of our Prevention Co-Chairs, Nicole Schiesler of PreventionFIRST!, Chris Patton of UMADAOP, and Brandon Craig of Cincinnati Public Schools, for helping guide this important work forward.
Together, we are building stronger, more connected prevention efforts for our community!
04/23/2026
Today, the Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition welcomed students from the University of Notre Dame Student Policy Network (SPN), a campus organization that partners with government agencies, nonprofits, and think tanks to complete semester-long research and policy projects led by undergraduate student teams.
SPN identified Hamilton County as a national model and leader in the field and joined us to learn more about strengthening addiction response systems and policy across Cincinnati and Hamilton County.
Their semester-long project focused on recovery housing and improving data sharing across the continuum of care. The student team presented a strong set of deliverables, including a well-researched policy white paper, slide deck presentation highlighting their key findings, and a draft MOU for partner agencies to consider.
We are grateful to the students for their time, thoughtful analysis, and meaningful contributions.
Their presentation was excellent, and we appreciate their work with the Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition!
04/16/2026
Join us for the Ohio Deflection Association Southwest Ohio Regional Lunch & Learn Training! The training will be an engaging, collaborative event designed to connect community stakeholders, share insights, and strengthen deflection efforts across our region.
Attendees will engage in interactive discussions on regional updates, funding strategies, program needs, and service gaps, helping to shape the future of deflection work in Southwest Ohio and beyond!
Attendees will also receive training on the new Ohio Community Alert Notification System (OCANS), along with drug trend updates from the Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center.
This event is free to attend, and lunch will be provided. Please share the invitation with your networks!
Our partners at On the Front Lines Community Alliance are hosting a Financial Wellness Summer Series. This four-part series is designed specifically for individuals in recovery who want to build confidence, stability, and a stronger financial future.
Building Financial Stability in Recovery
Each session offers practical, real-world strategies you can actually use, whether you're working on budgeting, managing debt, or exploring investing.
🗓 3rd Wednesdays at 1:30 PM
• May 20 – Power of Budgeting
• June 17 – Simplify Your Spending & Savings Strategies
• July 15 – Foundations of Investing
• August 19 – Investing with Purpose
📍 Glenwood Behavioral Health Hospital
2446 Kipling Ave, Cincinnati, OH
Led by Adam Kunsman, a financial advisor with Edward Jones and person in recovery, this series is grounded in real-life experience and a deep understanding of the financial journey in recovery.
Attend one session or join us for the full series. Wherever you are in your journey, this space is for you.
06/01/2026
05/27/2026
05/22/2026
05/21/2026
05/15/2026
05/12/2026
04/23/2026
04/16/2026
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04/13/2026