Opioid Treatment and MAT in Chillicothe, OH

What is the best way to treat opioid use disorder in Chillicothe?

It depends on which medication you can reach and start first. Chillicothe has a real advantage for a small city: a federally certified opioid treatment program sits about two-tenths of a mile from downtown, so methadone and buprenorphine are both handled locally rather than by a commute. Across the 30-mile radius there are 7 buprenorphine-maintenance programs and 10 intensive outpatient programs. If someone is unresponsive or breathing slowly right now, that is 911 and naloxone before any of this.

Ross County recorded 34 overdose deaths in 2024, 21 involving fentanyl. Within 30 miles of Chillicothe, the SAMHSA locator lists 1 federally certified opioid treatment program, 7 buprenorphine-maintenance programs, and 10 intensive outpatient programs. Medication is available in the city. Here is how to start.

Chillicothe is the seat of Ross County, and the region's behavioral health system is coordinated by a five-county board with residential beds and a 24/7 crisis line inside the city. For opioid use disorder in particular, that means the clinical start can happen close to home.

Why medication is the starting point

Opioid use disorder is a chronic, treatable condition, and the medications that treat it change the risk of dying. NIDA reports that methadone and buprenorphine reduce opioid use, craving, and overdose mortality. Three medications are FDA-approved:

• Buprenorphine - a partial agonist taken as a daily film or tablet, or as a longer-acting injection; 11 facilities within 30 miles prescribe it, and 8 carry the injectable form
• Methadone - a full agonist dispensed daily through a certified opioid treatment program; 1 OTP operates within the radius, in Chillicothe
• Naltrexone - blocks opioid receptors, started only after opioids have cleared the body; 14 area facilities offer it, 13 in the extended-release injectable form

Withdrawal from opioids is rarely life-threatening for a healthy adult but is genuinely miserable, and the danger comes afterward: tolerance drops during a break, so returning to an old dose can be fatal. Detox with nothing after it is not treatment. Ask every program what happens on day 30.

What the local data show

The Ohio Department of Health's 2024 overdose report counts 34 unintentional overdose deaths among Ross County residents in 2024 - an age-adjusted rate of 46.0 per 100,000, down from 49 deaths in 2023. The county's five-year average rate for 2020-2024 was 67.4, well above the statewide figure. Fentanyl was involved in 21 of the 2024 deaths, and the county recorded no deaths involving heroin alone - the same shift seen across Ohio, where fentanyl appeared in 69% of all fatal overdoses and 93% of opioid-related ones.

Statewide, 2,931 Ohioans died of unintentional overdose in 2024, a 34% decrease from 2023. Falling numbers are encouraging, but they do not mean the supply is safer - any powder or pill that did not come from a pharmacy should be treated as fentanyl-containing.

Medication and treatment near Chillicothe

A SAMHSA FindTreatment.gov pull on October 23, 2026 found 16 substance use treatment facilities within 30 miles of Chillicothe, 7 inside the city:

• 1 federally certified opioid treatment program (methadone and buprenorphine), and 7 programs offering buprenorphine maintenance
• 12 facilities offering outpatient methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone treatment, and 11 that prescribe buprenorphine
• 10 intensive outpatient programs and 14 offering regular outpatient care
• 3 outpatient detox providers, 1 residential detox, and 1 hospital-based inpatient detox
• 5 long-term residential and 5 short-term residential programs, plus 15 offering telehealth
• 14 facilities that provide naloxone and overdose education, and 15 that accept Medicaid

The local doors worth knowing:

• BrightView Health in Chillicothe runs the certified opioid treatment program, about two-tenths of a mile from downtown, with buprenorphine maintenance, methadone, and outpatient detox.
• Pike County Recovery Council operates buprenorphine-maintenance and intensive outpatient services in Chillicothe and women's transitional housing nearby.
• Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health Center, a contract agency of the Paint Valley ADAMH Board, runs the Floyd Simantel Clinic and long-term residential care in town, with a 24/7 crisis line at 740-773-4357.
• The VA Medical Center at Chillicothe provides hospital-based detox and medication-assisted treatment for eligible veterans.
• Paint Valley ADAMH Board (394 Chestnut Street; 740-773-2383) funds the network and helps uninsured residents find care.

Listing programs is informational, not an endorsement. Confirm openings, medication availability, and insurance before you go.

Paying for opioid treatment

Ohio Medicaid covers medically necessary medications for opioid use disorder, counseling, intensive outpatient treatment, residential treatment, and withdrawal management for eligible members, through one of the state's managed care plans. Ask specifically about buprenorphine, methadone, and injectable options, and about prior authorization. If you are uninsured, start with the Paint Valley ADAMH Board.

Crisis lines and emergencies

• Unresponsive, slow or stopped breathing, blue lips - call 911, give naloxone if you have it, and stay with the person. Naloxone cannot harm someone who is not overdosing on opioids.
• 988 - call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
• Scioto Paint Valley crisis line - 740-773-4357, 24/7, walk-ins accepted.
• Free naloxone - Ohio's Project DAWN network distributes naloxone and overdose education across the state, including by mail order.

How to start today

1. If someone is overdosing, call 911 and give naloxone.
2. Call or text (800) 653-9376 to talk through options with a person - no pressure, no commitment. Or use the form below and we will reach out:

Calling is free; the referral service is paid for by treatment providers, and we check your benefits before you commit. 3. Ask every program the same question: Can I start medication this week? The fastest honest answer wins. 4. Carry naloxone from today, not from the day treatment starts. Pick it up through a Project DAWN site or an Ohio mail-order option.

Ross County's five-year overdose rate is far above the state average, and medication is available within a few minutes of downtown. The distance between this page and a first dose is one phone call. Other Opioid treatment in Ohio: Opioid treatment and MAT in Akron, Ohio, Opioid treatment and MAT in Canton, Ohio, Opioid treatment and MAT in Cincinnati, Ohio, Opioid treatment and MAT in Cleveland, Ohio, Opioid treatment and MAT in Columbus, Ohio, Opioid treatment and MAT in Dayton, Ohio, Opioid treatment and MAT in Hamilton, Ohio, Opioid treatment and MAT in Kettering, Ohio, Opioid treatment and MAT in Lorain, Ohio, Opioid treatment and MAT in Portsmouth, Ohio, Opioid treatment and MAT in Springfield, Ohio, Opioid treatment and MAT in Steubenville, Ohio.

Frequently asked questions