Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition
STATEMENT FROM THE EXECUTIVE CHAIR 

Commissioner Denise Driehaus

Addiction doesn’t discriminate—it affects all kinds of people, from all kinds of backgrounds, from every neighborhood across the county. It’s a chronic illness, not a choice. And it’s why the Hamilton County Heroin Coalition (HCHC) was formed.

As we have progressed through the work of the coalition, we have come to realize that our old name no longer accurately reflects our work. While particular drugs may rise and fall in popularity. Hamilton County will always need a comprehensive and collaborative strategy to fight the disease of addiction. And so, we are renaming the HCHC. We are now the Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition (HC ARC).

The HC ARC is an action team that connects people to the right resources and treatments. We address addiction through comprehensive solutions. This inter-system cooperation is built on four pillars: prevention, treatment, interdiction, and harm reduction. These pillars represent the areas of expertise of those serving on the subcommittees of the HC ARC. Additionally, we have engaged local governments, the business community, hospitals, and the faith community to help strengthen our work. 

While we are trending in a hopeful direction by most metrics, Hamilton County is still seeing more negative consequences from addiction than before the current crisis began.  Pursuing and expanding this collaborative approach is just as important as ever. 

The State of the Crisis Report was created using information provided to us from coalition members to give the Hamilton County community insight into the magnitude of the problem of addiction, a better understanding of the work of the HC ARC and its partners, a synopsis of what strategies have led to positive outcomes, and an overview of what we hope to accomplish in the coming year. A special thanks goes to the Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners for their ongoing support and commitment to addressing the addiction crisis in our community. 

Posted on 02/26/2020