COLUMBUS – State Rep. Justin Pizzulli (R-Scioto County) today introduced legislation to address Ohio’s unregulated recovery housing industry.
The bill will empower the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to establish a certificate of need program to assess and set the appropriate level of recovery housing in each Ohio region to ensure a fair distribution of services statewide. It will also allow local Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services boards to inspect recovery housing facilities, investigate complaints, and impose penalties on facilities that fail to comply with statewide standards.
“Unfortunately, Ohio’s recovery housing industry is currently operating without adequate oversight, creating a “Wild West” environment, and allowing bad actors to exploit the system,” said Pizzulli. “By instituting strong local oversight, this legislation will help root out bad actors, protect vulnerable residents, and ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.”
According to Mapping the Gap: An Assessment of Capacity, Cost-Benefits, and Disparities in Utilization in Ohio Recovery Housing, 21 Ohio counties lack any recovery housing, while 22 counties are running at over 100% capacity – some exceeding 500% capacity.
Pizzulli encourages those who are interested in providing testimony on the bill during the committee process to contact his office at [email protected] for more information. He also encourages those who have concerns about a recovery home in their area to complete the form found here.
