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Pictured above from left to right, front row; Caitlin Jones from Ravenwood Health, Kendra Rodgers and Danielle Wittingen from Lake Area Recovery Center. Back row; Traci DeMattia from Signature Health, Christy Fisher from Ashtabula County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, Sergeant Chris Thayne from Ohio State Highway Patrol, Sergeant Scott Daniels from Ashtabula County Sheriff's Department, Korey Stoneman from Lake Area Recovery Center, Sergeant Brian Sterrick from Ashtabula County Sheriff's Department and Stacy Smith from Signature Health.
In 2025, Ashtabula County experienced approximately 23 overdose deaths with final data pending, a heartbreaking reminder that substance use disorder continues to impact individuals, families, and our community as a whole. At the same time, there is clear evidence that harm-reduction efforts are making a difference. Last year alone, 6,801 doses of naloxone were distributed throughout Ashtabula County which is more than double the 3,130 doses distributed in 2024. Each dose represents an opportunity to save a life and connect someone to help.
One of the many ways Ashtabula County is responding to this crisis is through the Quick Response Team (QRT). The QRT is a collaborative team made up of law enforcement officers from the Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Department, peers with lived experience or licensed counselors from Lake Area Recovery Center, Ravenwood Health (formerly known as Community Counseling Center), and Signature Health. Together, they conduct face-to-face outreach to individuals who have experienced an overdose or are at high risk, offering compassionate support, treatment options, and recovery resources.
The importance of this in-person approach cannot be overstated. In October 2025, the QRT followed up with an individual just days after an overdose. When the team arrived at the residence, they found that person actively overdosing and alone. The team immediately administered naloxone and contacted EMS. Because of that face-to-face follow-up, a life was saved. This moment highlights why meeting people where they are truly matters.
To further strengthen access to help, Ashtabula County is launching a new, innovative outreach program. Naloxone kits distributed throughout the community will now include a sticker with a QR code. By scanning the code, individuals can quickly access a short form that allows them to request a face-to-face support visit from the Quick Response Team.
This form is available on the Ashtabula County Mental Health and Recovery Services website under the “Find Help” tab, Quick Response Team. Importantly, the form is not only for individuals seeking help for themselves. Community members such as friends, family members, neighbors, or loved ones, can also submit a request asking the QRT to reach out to someone they are concerned about.
The form is anonymous for those requesting help on behalf of someone else. Individuals do not need to provide their own name; only the name and address of the person they would like the team to visit. Once submitted, the QRT will make every effort to connect with that individual in order to provide treatment options and recovery resources.
In the coming weeks, posters and flyers will be developed and distributed throughout the community to spread awareness about the Quick Response Team and how to request support. By placing this information directly on naloxone kits and throughout Ashtabula County, we are removing barriers and making it easier than ever to ask for help—whether for yourself or someone you care about.
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