Zanesville Health Department Secures Funding to Support Incarcerated Residents Battling Addiction

ZANESVILLE, OH – The Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department is taking a big step forward in the fight against substance use disorder, thanks to new funding aimed at helping some of the community’s most vulnerable residents.

The department received over $105,000 from the OneOhio Recovery Foundation to fight substance use disorder. The money will fund a peer recovery support program inside the Muskingum County and Zanesville City jails.

“A lot of folks that we get in jail has substance use disorders. We’re always looking for ways to help folks with that when they come to our facility. Obviously, the more help that we can provide to them, the more help it is to our staff as we are the care takers of them while they’re serving their time,” Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz said.

“It’ll be an interesting perspective with the peer support program and having someone that has an actual experience and history with it that’s going to be able to relate more. Our staff at the jail are aware and try to assist with directing people with rehabilitation and what’s offered in the area. But I think this program will be exiting in the fact that they’re going to have somebody who actually knows kind of the road they’re on and what it’s going to take to get out of this environment,” added Police Chief Scott Comstock.

In 2024, nearly 50% of overdose deaths in Muskingum County involved people who had been incarcerated, and more than half of them had been released within just one year of their death. The new program hopes to change that by hiring a peer recovery supporter and building a sustainable system to keep support going.

“We do what’s called an Overdose Fatality Review here, and that told us that 45% of our overdose fatalities actually come out of jail within a year. So, we saw the need for the peer supporter.” Health Department Family Advocate Monica Batteiger said.

“It’s great to able to help support those who are struggling with substance use disorder as they come back into the community to give them the support and resources that they need to make a better life for themselves,” Muskingum Behavioral Health CEO Yolanda Taylor said.

The program is a partnership between the health department, Muskingum Behavioral Health, local law enforcement, and the OneOhio Recovery Foundation.