WARREN — Trumbull County commissioners voted Thursday, to authorize the county clerk to advertise for bids for substance abuse treatment services at the Trumbull County jail to bolster recovery programs using a $250,000 annual grant from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

The initiative, recommended by the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office, seeks proposals from qualified organizations to deliver comprehensive, evidence-based treatment, including clinical therapy, peer support and medication-assisted treatment (MAT). The stated goal is to reduce recidivism, promote recovery and enhance public safety for inmates struggling with addiction.

The funding, part of Ohio’s opioid settlement, was announced in April by Attorney General Dave Yost during a visit to the jail. The three-year grant, totaling $750,000, will support two full-time social workers, a part-time nurse, group counseling and medications for inmates experiencing opioid withdrawal. Sheriff Michael Wilson emphasized the urgency of the program, stating, “We take alcohol and drug addiction issues seriously.”

Yost, recalling his time as Delaware County prosecutor, noted the growing prevalence of addiction and mental health issues in jails.

“Our county jails have become high-priced housing for the mentally ill and the drug addicted,” he said during the April grant announcement. “Trumbull County is getting this money before most of the rest of the counties in the state. We are very focused on the human costs of addiction and mental health in our communities.”

Wilson highlighted the limited mental health treatment available, stating, “The inmates receive a very small amount of mental health treatment. This will double the time we have with them.”

The grant, part of Yost’s Opioid Remediation Grant Program, allocates up to $200,000 annually for addiction-services staff and $50,000 for medications and supplies. Trumbull County secured the maximum funding in the program’s first round, which was announced in March. At the time, Wilson said hiring for the new positions was expected to begin soon.

Yost framed the initiative as both a humanitarian and economic issue, stating, “This is an economic development issue as well as a humanitarian issue, and it’s the right thing to do.”