opioid epidemic

Last year, Ohio changed its rules for prescribing opioids, restricting amounts of, and circumstances under which, doctors can prescribe those narcotics. The new rules have an exemption for people who are in hospice type care for diseases like cancer. 

The Republican and Democratic candidates for governor met for their second face-to-face debate, this time taking questions from an audience and via social media at Marietta College.

The candidates were asked about energy, education, the environment and ECOT, the online charter school that closed earlier this year owing millions of dollars to the state for overinflating student attendance.

Susan Perez walks down Scott Street in Franklinton with a baby on her hip and two toddlers following close behind.

“It's a drug house right now,” she says gesturing at a boarded up house a few doors down from hers.

The Ohio Health Department puts the official death toll last year from accidential drug overdoses at 4,854 people. That’s more than 13 people a day, and a 20 percent increase over 2016. However Gov. John Kasich says there is good news in those numbers.

A recent analysis of state data shows opioid overdose deaths increased by another 20 percent from the previous year. Gov. John Kasich says the opioid crisis is a complex battle, being fought both inside and outside the state.

Right now, Heartland High School doesn’t look like much — just a few rooms on the second floor of Broad Street Presbyterian Church on Columbus’ East Side.

Gov. John Kasich says the state’s crackdown on prescription opioids is making headway in the fight against drug deaths but he says there’s more that needs to be done.

Ohio Medicaid says it will continue to enforce a new rule requiring background checks of Medicaid providers. Some of them say the new practice will cost some good providers their jobs and will worsen tight staffing situations.

Hundreds of mental health and addiction counselors could lose their jobs because the state is now requiring criminal background checks for people who provide Medicaid services.