Branches
Criminal Justice
The Criminal Justice Branch works to expand access to and use of treatment and community support programs for those involved in the criminal justice system.
Montgomery County has expanded access to various support services for the criminal justice population. Some initiatives have included:
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Behavioral health services in the jail, including Certified Peer Recovery Supporters
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Monthly naloxone trainings and increased access to Medication-Assisted Treatment at local correctional facilities
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Participated in the planning process to identify potential opportunities for additional intervention and services
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Montgomery County established a Family Treatment Court
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Local municipal courts established partnerships with Quick Response Teams.
Drug Supply Control
The Drug Supply Control Branch works to decrease the supply of illicit and legal substances available for misuse and abuse.
Drugs seized by law enforcement provide a snapshot of drugs that are present in the community. Montgomery County has three task forces working to remove dangerous drugs from our streets:
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Miami Valley Bulk Smuggling Task Force – includes nine agencies who operate a tip line and intercept smuggled drugs.
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Regional Agencies Narcotics & Gun Enforcement (R.A.N.G.E.) Task Force – includes 12 law enforcement agencies in Montgomery County and works to combat drug abuse and drug trafficking.
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Dayton Police Narcotics Bureau – handles drug enforcement, narcotics support, major cases and street crimes.
Education & Information
The Education & Information Branch works to raise public awareness and knowledge of the dangers of substance misuse and abuse.
Montgomery County and its many partners continue to educate the community on this issue. Efforts have included:
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Work to reduce the stigma of addiction and show that recovery works
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Working with faith-based organizations on how they can respond to the drug crisis
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ADAMHS developed a free app, LocalHelpNow that helps individuals find services for addiction and mental health
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Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) continues to offer DEA 360 programming
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East End Community Services hosts Conversation for Change events, which provide an opportunity for the public to learn about the many resources available and to receive naloxone training
Harm Reduction
The Harm Reduction Branch works to increase the capacity of harm reduction programming (syringe exchange, naloxone distribution, etc.) to provide overdose prevention and engage clients in support services.
Naloxone/Narcan - Naloxone, also known as Narcan®, is a drug that can reverse the effects of a drug overdose caused by an opioid (such as heroin, fentanyl, or prescription opioids). The COAT encourages everyone to carry naloxone. Project DAWN Montgomery County offers FREE weekly naloxone overdose education & distribution every Wednesday at Noon at 601 Edwin C. Moses Blvd, Door F, CrisisCare entrance in Dayton. (Please arrive 15 minutes early to register). If you are a local service entity who serves individuals that may be at risk for overdose, please reach out to learn more about staff naloxone training and inquire about receiving a NaloxBox.
CarePoint Syringe Services - CarePoint is a comprehensive program that provides various services to help those using drugs reduce the chances they do additional harm to themselves and others. The program provides a one-for-one syringe exchange, in addition to screening and referral to treatment, free testing, assistance with Medicaid sign-up, and more.
Project DAWN - Project DAWN is a community-based overdose education and naloxone distribution program.
Prescription
The Prescription Branch works to promote the use of best practices for prescribing among health care providers.
Educating providers about the dangers of prescription opioids and alternatives to pain management are important considerations. Providers play a key role in helping prevent abuse and addiction before it begins.
State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy
Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS)
Joint Information Center
The Joint Information Center (JIC) coordinates unified messaging for the COAT. The JIC is made up of representatives from Public Health, ADAMHS, Job and Family Services, Montgomery County Administration, and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
The JIC works to:
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Provide coordination between member agencies in messaging going out to the community
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Provide timely release of information and coordinating media requests
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Communicate COAT activities to the public.
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Responds to all media requests.
Response
The Response Branch works to coordinate Quick Response Team efforts and ensure there is a plan for a significant cluster of overdoses. First responders, outreach teams, and certified Peer Recovery Supporters are all key partners in our work to combat the overdose crisis. Initiatives out of this branch have included:
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Coordination of Quick Response Teams (QRTs), which provide outreach to individuals who have overdosed, providing support and connections to treatment and recovery resources. QRTs in Montgomery County are comprised of first responders and individuals with lived experience, also known as Peer Recovery Supporters.
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Development of a Certified Peer Recovery Supporter Collaborative, which is an opportunity for Certified Peers to build their network of other peers, learn from one another, receive continuing education, and more. The Certified Peer Collaborative meets 6 times a year.
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ODMap Implementation. Developed by Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), ODMap is a surveillance system to track overdoses in real-time.
Treatment & Recovery
The Treatment & Recovery Branch works to expand access to treatment and community support programs. Montgomery County has a number of treatment and recovery support services available. The community continues to strive to identify gaps and fill them as needed by increasing access to treatment and recovery supports. Some initiatives have included:
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Expanding recovery housing capacity
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Expanding residential bed capacity and ambulatory detoxification services
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Development of the Recovery Alliance of Montgomery County (RAMCO), an alliance of recovery organizations created to share resources to positively impact citizens and communities.
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Expanding the Peer Recovery Support workforce
Prevention
The Community Overdose Action Team (COAT) aligns the initiatives of our local prevention coalitions and agencies. Please visit their websites to learn more about the excellent prevention work being done in our community including:
Data Unit
The Data Unit compiles the information into one report and identifies opportunities for data sharing across systems. The Data Unit offers support to the COAT branches to assist them in making data-driven decisions for interventions. Some of the Data Unit projects include
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Provide six-month progress reports and an annual data report.
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Provide weekly updates on overdose deaths in Montgomery County.
