Lawrence County Recovery, LLC v. Village of Coal Grove, Ohio
On August 26, 2024, Relman Colfax filed a federal civil rights complaint against the Village of Coal Grove, Ohio, and the Village Solicitor, James Thomas Holt IV, for engaging in a uniquely egregious and discriminatory campaign targeting individuals in recovery from Substance Use Disorder (SUD). The complaint raises claims under the Fair Housing Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Ohio Revised Code, Chapter 4112.
The suit, brought on behalf of Lawrence County Recovery, LLC (LCR), a leading recovery service provider in southeastern Ohio, and its leadership, Donna Reynolds, Jamie Reynolds, Kathy Ross and Mike Ross, alleges that the Village of Coal Grove and Solicitor Holt unlawfully discriminated on the basis of disability.
LCR is a fully licensed and accredited behavioral health agency that provides life-saving community services, including operating two independent living homes in Coal Grove since May 2022 and April 2023. These homes have offered a stable and supportive environment for individuals in the community recovering from SUD. Substance use disorder is a pressing medical issue in Lawrence County, which ranks fourth in overdose death rates statewide.
Rather than welcoming this vital community service, the Complaint alleges that the defendants have relied on inaccurate and harmful stereotypes about people in recovery to limit and exclude recovery housing. LCR and its leaders claim that the defendants’ conduct unlawfully discriminates against people in recovery, who are protected as people with disabilities under state and federal law. The complaint alleges that the defendants have imposed a moratorium banning new recovery homes, enforced invasive and restrictive requirements on existing providers, and pursued criminal charges against LCR's leadership, all based on unfounded fears and prejudices. According to Plaintiffs, these actions have threatened the sustainability of recovery services in Coal Grove, undermined the safety and well-being of a vulnerable population, and prevented LCR from operating at full capacity.
In the five years since its founding, LCR has grown to an organization that employs 90 people and has supported over 1,500 people in recovery. Substance use disorder is an urgent medical issue in Ohio and LCR hopes this case could serve as a safeguard for fellow recovery services facing similar attacks in the state.
"We hope that by seeking justice for those in LCR’s program, we also support fellow recovery services and those with SUD who are facing similar attacks throughout the state," said Lila Miller, Partner at Relman Colfax. "We view this case as an important step toward accountability for municipal leaders, who are often the gatekeepers for much-needed resources like recovery housing.”
The lawsuit is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
The Relman Colfax litigation team includes Lila Miller, Emily Curran, and Robert Hunter, with assistance from paralegal Jazmin Trenco.
A copy of the complaint is here.