New Governor Proposal on Overdose Fatalities

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – Governor John Kasich has recently proposed counties to have committees to study overdose fatalities and collect information.

However, this proposal will only allow limited public access to each fatality. According to C.E.O. of Muskingum Behavioral Health, Steve Carell the meeting will be closed to the public and records reviewed will not be provided for public information.

“There’s some people who’d say that all the proceedings should be made public,” Carell said. “You know I have a concern about that in part, because of the stigma attached to addiction. You know that could hurt an individual and their family.”

Each committee will release information regarding demographic information, where the deaths took place, and what factors caused each overdose.

“This would help identify if there are trends, number one. Number two, it would help in developing ways of addressing you know that particular issue,” said Carell.

Carell said Ohio already has committees similar to the Overdose Fatalities. Each county has Children Fatality committees where they study the factors in the child’s death and works to prevent other deaths.

“I think any time we get a group of people in a room, taking a look at a set of data,” Carell said. “We can learn things, share things, and we can come out with a united effort to address the issues.”

Carell said for all those effected by drug addictions the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department will host Project Dawn Naloxone Training on February 23rd from 5:30 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. A Family and Friends support group takes place at Muskingum Behavioral Health every Wednesday at 6:30 P.M. For more information contact Muskingum Behavioral Health by calling (740) 454-1266.