Champions of Hope Honors Commissioner Driehaus
- dmichaels54
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
The 2026 Champions of Hope honoree is Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus.
Commissioner Driehaus, who prefers being addressed simply as Denise, is a long-time resident of Greater Cincinnati and has spent most of her life making our community a better place to live. She has raised her family here, owned businesses, and served in the Ohio House, which led to her current role as a County Commissioner.
Denise also serves as the Executive Chair of the Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition (HCARC), a group of specialists in the field of prevention, treatment, public health, and law enforcement who work together to find solutions and create resources for people who struggle with substance use disorder. The work of the Coalition, in collaboration with the community, has greatly reduced the number of overdose deaths in Hamilton County (recently released data shows a 66% decrease since 2017). The Coalition also focuses on education regarding the dangers of illegal drugs and their continuous threats to public health.
Commissioner Driehaus is proud of what HCARC has accomplished. She knows that there is still “work to be done” and is fearless when it comes to tackling the tough issues. She says,
"I feel so privileged to have been recognized as the 2026 Champions of Hope Honoree. GCBHS continues to be a champion for mental health and addiction services after decades of work striving to improve lives in Hamilton County. They are also a key partner of the Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition (HCARC) – together, in partnership with the community, these entities have saved countless lives throughout the region. HCARC’s innovative initiatives such as the recovery pods in the Hamilton County Justice Center, in-person post-overdose outreach by the Quick Response Team, and the Recovery Friendly Workplace commitment demonstrate how HCARC has built infrastructure that saves lives and connects residents to care. The participation of GCBHS has been critical to this work."
We think you will agree that this award was much deserved and we are all the better for having someone like Denise “champion” the fight to assist the most vulnerable in our community.
