Helen Jones-Kelley, executive director of the Montgomery County Alcohol Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services, said loosening that regulation is "the one thing that can make a difference in this community."
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“That was one of the major impediments,” Jones-Kelley said. “The good news for us is that we can then stop using local dollars on residential beds and redirect those dollars into increased services.”
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, a Republican, said, "I am especially glad that the President announced that he will be ending the 16-bed rule for Medicaid. Earlier this month, I lead an effort supported by attorneys general from across the county to eliminate his decades-old rule that limits residential treatment options. In announcing that he is removing this barrier to treatment, the president will help more Ohioans get the help they need to overcome this devastating disease."
U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said, "The president's decision to declare this epidemic a public health emergency is a positive step forward, and I'm hopeful it will lead to a better coordinated federal response to this crisis. I have spoken to the president in depth about this epidemic and the devastating impact it is having on our communities in Ohio and around the country, and I know he is committed to addressing it in a comprehensive way."
Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, a Democrat, said, "Trump's declaration is a long time coming, but it's far too little, far too late and Ohioans are growing weary of his empty promises. While it is a small step in the right direction, it's not enough. This is a national emergency. We need resources to combat this epidemic and deliver help to Ohio families. And this declaration does nothing to hold the big drug companies accountable for creating the mess."
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U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, said, "This year in Montgomery County alone, 800 deaths are expected of drug overdoses. This is unacceptable. If 800 deaths were expected of Zika, you'd see public outrage, but because this is an addiction issue it hasn't gotten the attention it's been due."
State Rep. Niraj Antani, R-Miamisburg, said, "President Trump is right to declare the opioid epidemic a national public health emergency. The State of Ohio should follow suit by declaring it a state public health emergency, and we must provide more resources to law enforcement to get drug dealers and traffickers off of our streets."
Antani additionally said the move will provide more access to treatment.
“The sixteen bed issue is one that affects us all in Ohio,” Antani said. “We can’t deliver drugs to addicts in jail, so we can’t help them until they get out of jail.”
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