LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — Lima and Allen County are being well represented this week at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C.
Mayor Sharetta Smith and Allen County Commissioner Beth Seibert are presenting information on how the community has used funding from the national opioid settlement to support local recovery and prevention efforts. Through collaboration between the city, county and the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, the funding has helped support a Lighthouse Recovery Peer Center and an intervention specialist within the Allen County juvenile system. Both leaders say the opportunity allowed them to share successful local strategies with communities from across the country.
“It wasn’t necessarily partnering, you know, on a government to government level, but we’ve heard from other communities that partnered with some of their local organizations to get these dollars out in communities to help families,” Smith said.
Seibert noted that Ohio’s approach to opioid settlement funding differs from other states.
“We talked about one Ohio, or the state of Ohio’s approach in using the opioid settlement dollars, because it varies across every state how these opioid settlement dollars are being distributed and used,” Seibert said.
In addition to presenting on opioid recovery initiatives, Smith will also moderate a workforce-focused presentation as co-chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Women’s Leadership Network. The session will explore strategies to help women return to the workforce following the COVID-19 pandemic.
