Ron Welch
Muskingum County Prosecutor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Diversion Program Participates in Community Overdose Awareness and Family Fun Night
(ZANESVILLE, Ohio) – In support of overdose awareness month, staff from the Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office attended the Community Awareness and Family Fun Night hosted by Drug Free Muskingum and the Zanesville Public Health Department.
The Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office was represented at the event by the Diversion and Rehabilitation Treatment program, DART. Diversion Coordinator, Kasi Stewart LPCC-S, provided visitors with the opportunity to throw axes at a 10ft dart and receive a goody bag.
DART, started by County Prosecutor Ron Welch, is a pre-arrest diversion program operating within the Prosecutor’s Office that offers adult first-time, non-violent offenders a chance to avoid prosecution. “Addiction is a community challenge, and the fight against it requires compassion as well as enforcement,” Prosecutor Welch explained. “Our diversion programs and overdose awareness efforts aim to heal, restore, and protect our community. The prosecutor’s office is committed to putting drug dealers in prison and providing help to addicted persons who are ready to change.”
According to the Muskingum County Health Department’s Harm Reduction Dashboard, in 2024 there were 30 fatal overdoses in Zanesville, OH.
Many of the participants entering the DART program face challenges with drug abuse. Addressing drug abuse is a major component of DART as we require participants to be sober from any substance that is not prescribed by a medical physician. We address this by performing random drug tests and connecting participants with the resources and tools they need to succeed. If a participant fails to abide by program rules any pending criminal charges they have are presented for prosecution.
To learn more about DART please visit our website: https://www.muskingumprosecutor.org/Resources-Links/DART/
Family Fun Night, coordinated by Monica Batteiger and her team, was one of two events planned for the month of August to bring awareness, education and resources on overdose to our community in Muskingum County.
Other community partners at the event included: Muskingum Behavioral Health, Muskingum County Jobs and Family Services, Laikyn’s Legacy, Brightview, Cedar Ridge, Cairn Recovery, Project Ready, NAMI and Lighthouse Behavioral Health.
If you, a loved one, or someone you know isn’t facing charges but could benefit from community resources, please don’t hesitate to contact our office.
Diversion Coordinator: Kasi Stewart, LPCC-S
Phone: 740-455-7123
Email: knstewart@muskingumcounty.org
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