Rep. Dell'Aquila Announces $6 Million to Kickstart Ohio's 9-8-8 Crisis & Suicide Lifeline Public Awareness Campaign

August 30, 2023

COLUMBUS- State Rep. Richard Dell’Aquila (D-Seven Hills) Monday announced that the Controlling Board has approved $6M to develop, create, and implement a statewide public awareness campaign for the 988 Crisis and Suicide Lifeline in Ohio. The 988 hotline saw 12,000 contacts per month in its first year, which was funded exclusively with one-time federal dollars. Monday's approval includes both state GRF funds and a federal mental health block grant.

“The federal funding for this vital program will have a profound effect throughout the state of Ohio. We know the devastating consequences for families and friends caused by the loss of loved ones, and particularly in cases of suicide. The budget recently passed by the legislature and signed by the governor contains several similar initiatives, all intended to improve Ohioans’ quality of life and, as in this instance, to assist those among us who are in distress and in need of help,” said Rep. Dell’Aquila.

Additionally, the Controlling Board approved $92.5M for the Brent Spence Bridge project in Ohio. The funds will provide a contract with two consulting firms under two separate agreements, allowing for engineering and construction services for the Brent Spence Corridor Design-Build Project on Interstate Route 71/Interstate Route 75 over the Ohio River in Ohio and Kentucky.

Some other items approved by the Controlling Board include:

$135k to promote safe storage of medication, alcohol and guns through the Store It Safe (SIS) quality improvement program.
$1M for temporary nursing services at Ohio Veterans Homes.
$2.5M to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution via the federal Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program.
$3.7M to design the state’s first large-scale treatment plant for acid mine drainage (AMD), a major environmental issue, in order to address the largest single source of AMD in Ohio.
$5.3M to support the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS), including state efforts to reduce unintentional overdose deaths.