Logan County District Board of Health members discussed at their September board meeting a goal of reaching citizens in the Indian Lake area through Harm Reduction Grant programming after statistics have shown a significant increase in overdose deaths in that region following the March 2024 EF3 tornado.
Health Commissioner Travis Irvan said Logan County’s unintentional overdose fatality review board convened recently and noted that while the rest of the county has experienced overdose deaths trending downward in the last several years, there have been seven unintentional overdose deaths reported in the Indian Lake area from March 2024 through June 2025.
He showed a heat map of the county that displayed overdose deaths prior to the tornado, from a period of January 2022 to March 2024, where the highest percentage of deaths were reported in Bellefontaine. Several deaths were also reported in various regions around Logan County.
However, the heat map from March 2024 to June 2025 saw the majority of overdose deaths concentrated at Indian Lake. The health commissioner said both men and women were represented among the deaths, and on average, overdose victims were in their 40s and 50s. A number of the deaths were linked to fentanyl.
In the early stages of the tornado recovery, Irvan and LCHD staff also were onsite at Indian Lake, and the staff were able to take advantage of counseling in those initial days following the natural disaster. In their grief counseling de-briefings, an analogy involving carrying the weight of a heavy backpack that they learned about could also apply when looking at possible scenarios surrounding the overdose deaths, Irvan related.
“While we can’t say that the after affects of the tornado caused these deaths, we can look at the stress and baggage that people were carrying with them ‘in their backpacks’ before the tornado. Then to think about adding to their backpacks the compounded weight of losing their homes or a loved one being hurt in the tornado, and that backpack becomes very heavy to carry.”
To that end, the health commissioner discussed channeling recently applied for Harm Reduction Grant Funding, if it is approved, toward new programming at Indian Lake. He hopes to potentially offer the health district’s Wellness Wednesday as mobile clinic at Indian Lake, and discussed the idea of installing a wellness vending machine somewhere in the region, similar to the one that was installed late last year outside of the health district, 310 S. Main St., containing Narcan, hygiene kits, fentanyl test kits and other items.
Wellness Wednesdays at the health district offers programming that includes counseling referrals, disease control, Fentanyl test strips, Hep A and C vaccines, HIV and sypllies testing, medication lock boxes, Narcan kits and training, tobacco quit line referrals and wound care.
Also at the board meeting, members discussed the upcoming National Falls Prevention event, planned for 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24, at the Logan County Friendly Senior Center, 934 S. Main St.
LCHD staff will be assisting with Bingocize and Matter of Balance demonstrations, chair yoga, blood pressure checks, hearing screenings, walking assessments, and walker and cane checks. A fire department presentation also is planned.
During the environmental health report, the board passed on their first of three required reading the 2026 fee schedule for the environmental division, with most of the fees increasing based upon cost methodology reporting, Director Matt Stonerock said.
During the nursing report, Nursing Director Lee Watts said the Ohio Board of Pharmacy had completed a surprise inspection just that day, and they passed their inspection with no issues to report.
The WIC baby shower took place recently and public health nurse Kelli Parr participated. A raffle basket and goodie baskets were handed out, along with information about the Complex Medical Health Program, infant safe sleep, maternal mental health and dental health in pregnancy.
In financial matters, members approved changes to the 2026 budget approved at their August meeting to reflect 27 pay periods next year, instead of 26. Irvan reported last month that the 2026 budget shows the agency in deficit spending totaling approximately $211,000, which “we will be keeping an eye on,” he said.
He also recently met with the county budget commission to request an increase in the health district’s inside millage, which is set at $400,000 for 2026. Irvan said the commission offered that a small increase in the LCHD’s inside millage amount should be possible in the near future.
In other action, the board:
• approved a condemnation order for a property at 7764 State Route 366, Russells Point, for a vacant property, which has a collapsing roof;
• approved a variance request from Tom Wiechart, 9324 Buckeye Drive, Huntsville, for a well variance request at his property; and
• accepted the resignation of Faith Hoffer, environmental health clerical specialist, effective Sept 5.
The next meeting is 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8.
