COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio’s judges, county and state officials, and drug experts will examine treatment programs and other ways to fight opiate abuse in upcoming conferences in Columbus.

Judges from across the state have been invited to an Ohio Judicial Symposium on Opiate Addiction on June 30. The Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities is hosting an opiate conference called “Don’t Get Me Started” on July 1.

Like many states, Ohio has seen a surge in heroin use and a sharp rise in overdose deaths.

Among the efforts is a project in drug courts in six counties to examine whether the drugs Vivitrol and Suboxone help heroin users prevent relapses as they seek to become productive citizens. The participating counties are Allen, Crawford, Franklin, Hardin, Hocking and Mercer.