Athens, Ohio, is located in the southeast corner of the state, where the cornfields of Ohio give way to the Appalachian Mountains. It’s home to Ohio University — the oldest college in the state — and also home to a nasty opioid epidemic.

Unlike the rest of the country, where drug overdose death rates are trending downward, in Athens County, they are stubbornly high. The student-run newspaper, The Post, shared the sad statistics:

• 26 opioid overdose deaths in 2022
• 33 opioid overdose deaths in 2023
• 30+ opioid overdose deaths in 2024

From May 2023 to May 2024, Ohio clocked a 22% reduction in opioid overdose deaths. National opioid overdose deaths went down 15% over the same period. Athens is bucking the trend, but that may be about to change.

Using OxyContin settlement funds, Athens has rebuilt its addiction treatment services into something of a model for other cities to emulate. They now offer services to address every stage of addiction recovery with a 360-degree view of an individual’s needs for healthcare, housing, employment, and even fresh food.

“Southeastern Ohio is a hotbed of addiction,” says Christopher Meyer, DO, an addiction medicine specialist at OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital in Athens. Dr. Meyer has built a dedicated addiction team that includes addiction medicine specialists, nurse practitioners, substance use navigators, a counselor, and a therapist.

This team is proactive, reaching out within the hospital and the community to recruit patients who want to recover from substance use disorders. “About 20% of patients admitted to any hospital in the country are struggling with substance use disorders, oftentimes under the radar,” Dr. Meyer told Marcus Thorpe in a video produced by OhioHealth.

Dr. Meyer’s team also works directly with emergency room staff, which is often the point of entry for those struggling with substance use disorders.

In the community, the team works with libraries, shelters, housing agencies, domestic violence agencies, and food banks to make people aware of the addiction treatment services available from OhioHealth. These services include:

• Medical management of alcohol use disorder
• Medical management of opioid use disorder
• Medical management of other substance use disorders
• Medical management of withdrawal 
• Pain management
• Substance use assessments
• Assessing readiness for change
• Linkage to residential or outpatient treatment facilities
• Harm reduction discussion and services

The first place many people in Athens go for recovery is The Gathering Place. It’s a non-residential drop-in peer recovery center. They provide showers and laundry for people who are often homeless. They have daily meetings of Narcotics Anonymous from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The Gathering Place is free of charge. Anyone over 18 years old is welcome. They are located in a large Victorian house at 7 N. Congress Street, Athens, OH 45701. They can sometimes provide transportation for people. Phone 740-594-7337 to speak with someone at The Gathering Place during normal business hours.

One of the unique services of The Gathering Place is their healthy food program. They provide daily meals and operate a food pantry focusing on healthy, fresh foods. They have their own garden, and they offer classes on meal preparation and nutrition.

Another force in Athens’ comprehensive addiction recovery effort is the 317 Board, short for the Athens-Hocking-Vinton Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board. The 317 Board supports a network of care for those in need of mental health services and addiction treatment services.

The 317 Board runs the Hopewell Health Centers, providing mental health services and addiction treatment through a variety of local clinics, including for inmates in jail or prison. They operate My Sister’s Place, a domestic violence shelter, and they also support The Gathering Place.

One unique program of the 317 Board is the Athens Photography Project, where photography is used as a tool in the mental health recovery journey. Habit substitution is an important tool in addiction recovery. 

Taking up photography as a hobby also helps by documenting progress. Any kind of journaling, even photographic journaling, can be therapeutic. In this case, the end result is many wonderful images of Athens, Ohio — one of the most scenic towns anywhere in America.

Written by Steve O’Keefe. First published December 17, 2025.

Sources:

“Medical Minute: Fighting Drug Addiction in Southeastern Ohio — A Community Effort,” Ohio Health Newsroom, December 8, 2025.

“Wellness Watch: Fighting Addiction With Compassion and Hope,” Ohio Health Newsroom, September 25, 2025.

“Opioid-related deaths in Athens stay consistent,” The Post, October 17, 2024.

Image Copyright: Steve Shook, used under Creative Commons license.