Community Resource Event Provides Recovery Resources to Ross County Residents
Chillicothe, OH – The Ross County Health District, in partnership with Hope Partnership Project and Ross County Community Action, hosted a recovery-focused community resource event for Ross County residents on Wednesday, April 29, at the Chillicothe Ross County Public Library (CRCPL) Annex Building from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Ross County Health District’s medical mobile unit was in attendance along with vendors ranging from health and wellness programs to substance use disorder treatment providers offering program information and more to attendees. New City Church of Chillicothe provided a free meal to attendees at the community resource event.
In tandem with the community resource event, two teams conducted door-to-door community outreach offering resources to Ross County residents. The outreach teams made 9 successful contacts and distributed 22 kits of naloxone. 13 gun locks were also distributed at the resource event.
In 2025, RCHD’s Substance Use Prevention Programs demonstrated remarkable impact through Project DAWN’s comprehensive distribution efforts. The program distributed 2,787 naloxone kits to community members and 130 to law enforcement, resulting in 112 documented lives saved. The initiative certified 179 individuals in naloxone administration and established crucial partnerships, including an innovative release protocol with Ross County Jail. The Post Overdose Response Team (PORT) reported a significant 34.1% decrease in overdose cases, with 151 total incidents in 2025.
Through the Bureau of Justice Assistance Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program grant RCHD was able to provide 1,103 students in Ross County with drug prevention education. The Peer Recovery Support Specialists, in contract with Ross County Community Action, achieved 3,108 successful contacts and facilitated 86 treatment referrals, demonstrating the program’s effectiveness in community engagement and support.
Ross County Health District offers free naloxone to community members through the Ohio Department of Health’s (ODH) Project DAWN Program. To order a naloxone kit, call 740-779-9652 or email projectdawn@rosscountyhealth.org.
RCHD’s Shandi Davis, Jordan George, and Clayton Cyrus provided public health resources at the Community Resource Event.
Vendors inside Chillicothe Ross County Public Library’s (CRCPL) Annex Building
RCHD’s Clayton Cyrus, Sherry Magill, and Megan Stevens offer program resources at the Community Resource Event.
More information:
Medical Mobile Unit – Ross County Health District
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About the Ross County Health District
The Ross County Health District (RCHD), founded in 1979, is nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board that works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Ross County. RCHD is governed by a seven-member board of health and consists of four divisions: Public Health Nursing, Environmental Health, Health Promotion, and Quality Improvement, and Administration. Learn more about the Ross County Health District at RossCountyHealth.org. For more information, please contact Sara Smith at sksmith@RossCountyHealth.org