Blog – MHARS Lorain County

Training for Families Suffering with a Loved One’s Substance Use Disorder

by Clare RosserJanuary 11, 2021 Blog, Uncategorized0 comments

FREE Virtual Training on January 26: Recovery Supports and Tools for Families Suffering with a Loved One’s Substance Use Disorder, presented by the MHARS Board’s new Dissemination and Implementation Officer of Prevention Services, Tonya Birney. Free CEUs. Register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/401076965213593103

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MHARS Board Announces New Talent on Clinical Team

by Clare RosserDecember 21, 2020 Blog0 comments

The Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board announces four new members of its clinical team. The team is essential to the Board’s mission of planning, funding and monitoring a network of mental health and substance use services for Lorain County residents.

“I am pleased to tell the community about the talented individuals who will be working on their behalf at the Board,” said Interim Director Elaine Georgas.

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K-12 Prevention Funding Provides Needed Support to Local School Districts

by Clare RosserDecember 16, 2020 Blog0 comments

At their December Board of Directors meeting, the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board of Lorain County approved funds to four local school districts for prevention programming. The funding will support the social and emotional needs of students, teachers and families.

Multiple school districts are working with MHARS Board staff to assess their needs and resources, and develop creative plans for wellness. The first cohort of districts to finish their plans and receive funding approval are Avon Lake City Schools, Clearview Local Schools, North Ridgeville City Schools and Wellington Exempted Village Schools.

“The funds will be utilized in a variety of ways across the district,” North Ridgeville City Schools Social Worker Chelsea Freeman said. “We are very lucky to be awarded such a grant in the middle of a pandemic.”

Freeman added that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the needs of students are increasing.

The goal is to develop effective evidence-based strategies to help children build resiliency and reduce risk factors that contribute to behavioral health conditions including substance use, anxiety and depression.

“Prevention education is so important, now so more than ever, and the K-12 prevention funding is allowing Avon Lake City Schools to not only keep our programing going, but to make adjustments that will help even more students,” said Superintendent Bob Scott.

Strategies that were approved across districts include expanded screenings for students, mentoring, trauma-informed care training for staff, mindfulness opportunities for students, and family engagement enhancements.

“The Wellington Exempted Village School District is excited to partner with the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services Board of Lorain County to bring exciting new programming to our students including the Second Step Program, Yoga in the Classroom, and the ROX girls curriculum. These new programs are ideal to support our students in these difficult times,” noted Edward Weber, Wellington’s Superintendent.

At the high school, the Ruling Our Experiences, or ROX, program to will build leadership skills for young women.

“I think the ROX program is going to be an amazingly beneficial program for many girls including myself,” said Wellington junior Harley Wallace. “Personally, I believe I will benefit from being a ROX girl because I will become more confident in myself, and be more comfortable in a public setting.”

“The K-12 Prevention Education Initiative is a partnership with our Board and local school districts to help achieve Ohio’s goal of prevention services for every child in every grade, every school,” said MHARS Interim Executive Director Elaine Georgas. “School districts complete an assessment either for their district or a specific building in key areas: planning, partnerships, family engagement, data informed decision-making school planning teams, policies, program identification and selection, peer opportunities for students and staff support and professional development. This assessment is used to create a plan for which MHARS offers technical assistance.”

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) and the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) distributed $18 million to support prevention education for students in grades K-12. The MHARS Board received an allocation of $433,986 for local public, private and charter schools that successfully complete the funding request process.

Jerome Davis, the Superintendent of the Clearview Local Schools, said that the prevention funding is an exciting opportunity to create new approaches, like a calming room on a school’s campus.

“As more and more young people are facing issues with fear, anxiety, and disappointment, it brings me great pride in there being a safe space in our school district whereby we can help ease some of the anxiety and traumatic experiences,” he said. “Trauma encompasses a lot from divorce to illness to death. We will have that comforting space to help deal with these stressful situations. It is truly exciting to have the opportunity to provide that space for our students.”

“We are pleased that the four districts have moved forward to create sustainable plans focused on the well-being of their students, school personnel and the families of the students particularly during this school year, which has been unique due to COVID-19. Now more than ever, the social-emotional needs of students are a priority,” said Georgas.

“Together we can get through this crisis and together we can help those in need,” added Superintendent Scott.

Other districts are in the process of developing their plans. To learn more about the K-12 Prevention Initiative and how your school districts can access Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programming supports and receive technical assistance from Tonya Birney, the MHARS Board’s Dissemination and Implementation Officer for Prevention Services, contact 440-434-5713 or tbirney@mharslc.org.

The MHARS Board is the local behavioral health authority. Its mission is to improve the well-being of all members of our community by planning for, establishing and maintaining an effective, efficient, and quality system of mental health, addiction and recovery services for Lorain County.

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“Hope Hour” will feature new mentoring opportunity for Lorain County young adults

by Clare RosserDecember 16, 2020 Blog, Uncategorized0 comments

Join an informational Hope Hour to introduce the Community of Hope Transitional Age Youth Volunteer Mentorship program to Lorain County. The program connects young adults ages 18 to 25 to a group of adult volunteer mentors called communities. The Hope Hour will be held via Zoom, on Tuesday, January 12, 2021, at 6:30 pm. Registration is required.

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November is National Family Caregivers Month

by Clare RosserOctober 29, 2020 Blog0 comments

November is National Family Caregivers Month. Our network of mental health and substance use treatment providers serves more than 16,000 people each year. Though we cannot calculate the number of neighbors, family members, friends, and loved ones who made that care even more successful, we appreciate your efforts each day. Thank you for watching out for someone who is struggling.

According to Mental Health America:

There are over 60 million Americans who are unpaid caregivers to family, friends and neighbors.

One in 5 caregivers help someone with a mental illness.

Forty-five percent of caregivers for adults with mental illness are parents, 14 percent are adult children and 11 percent are spouses.

The need for caregivers is expected to continue to grow as the US older adult population increases.

Caregiving can often have a significant impact on the life of the caregiver in more ways than one. It can make maintaining your physical and mental health more difficult and may put a strain on work and social life.

Caregivers of people with mental illness are 15 percent more likely to feel emotional stress, 11 percent more likely to report fair or poor health and 9 percent more likely to feel financial strain than caregivers of people with a physical illness. It’s important for caregivers to take care of their own mental health. Take a free, anonymous and confidential screening.

Supporting caregivers with information and resources can help them maintain their mental health and serve loved ones with mental illness better.

Start with these caregiver resources, or view our library of information:

HIPAA: What Are a Caregiver’s Rights?

Setting Goals for Recovery

Talking to Treatment Providers

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2020, IS NATIONAL DRUG TAKE BACK DAY

by Clare RosserOctober 21, 2020 Blog, Uncategorized0 comments

Clean out your medicine cabinet of any potentially harmful or addictive pills

In partnership with the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office, the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board is promoting Drug Take Back Day on October 24, 2020, in Lorain County, to help keep homes safe from overdose risks.

From 10 am to 2 pm at many drop-off locations, volunteers will provide medication disposal pouches and other drug safety resources for free to residents of Lorain County. Locations include all Lorain County police departments, Sheriff’s Office and Columbia Township Fire Department.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.9 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.

Though police departments and some other locations have secure prescription drug drop boxes all year, by cleaning out your cabinets on National Drug Take Back Day, residents show that Lorain County is taking drug safety seriously.

To learn more about how to help a loved one in active addiction or recovery, visit mharslc.org/recovery. The Addiction Helpline is available at 440-989-4900.

The MHARS Board is the behavioral health authority that plans, funds and monitors mental health and addiction services in Lorain County.

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MHARS Board thanks First Responders for “Bringing Help, Bringing Hope”

by Clare RosserSeptember 16, 2020 Blog, Uncategorized0 comments

As part of a statewide show of gratitude to frontline workers who confront the opioid epidemic, the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board is leading Lorain County’s efforts for the First Responders Week of Appreciation, September 20-26, 2020.

MHARS Board thanks First Responders for “Bringing Help, Bringing Hope”

“This year, first responders are battling an opioid epidemic, within a global health pandemic,” said Elaine Georgas, Interim Director of the MHARS Board. “First responders are devoted to healthy outcomes on all fronts, and should be lauded for their continued selfless commitment to helping people who need opioid and addiction care.”

The National Institutes of Health called the opioid epidemic within the coronavirus pandemic a “collision of public health crises.”

Jinx Mastney, Opioid Response Outreach Coordinator for the MHARS Board, convened partners throughout the community to write thank-you notes, deliver gifts, issue proclamations of support, and promote the “Bringing Help. Bringing Hope. Thank You.” theme of the Week of Appreciation, during September’s National Recovery Month.

The statewide team identifies children’s services workers, EMTs, emergency department staff, 9-1-1 dispatchers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, behavioral health workers, and “anyone else who may experience burnout or secondary trauma as a result of their work with individuals with addiction” during the Week of Appreciation.

The MHARS Board supports successful interactions between first responders and members of the community who are in distress by offering trainings on solving challenges related to mental illness and substance abuse. Opioid response staff organizes 24 hours of training for front-line crisis professionals each year. The MHARS Board has provided more than 200 local first responders from 15 public safety departments with Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training, sponsored 78 officers in Trauma Informed Policing, and hosted sessions with an internationally acclaimed expert in trauma and high-stress workplaces. Also, the MHARS Board funds Quick Response Teams of a police officer and behavioral health clinician to visit overdose survivors with the goal of engaging individuals to seek treatment, and funds mobile response teams to support crisis calls throughout Lorain County.

Local Week of Appreciation efforts are sponsored by the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. Their statement reads:

“Thanks to the tireless efforts of frontline workers, Ohio has seen a decrease in deaths involving heroin in recent years. However, we are still facing an addiction and overdose epidemic like never before and Ohio’s frontline workers need our continued support. The Week of Appreciation is an opportunity to show support and appreciation to those who work directly with individuals struggling to overcome substance use disorders.”

To learn more about how to help a loved one in active addiction or recovery, visit mharslc.org/recovery. The Addiction Helpline is available at 440-989-4900.

The MHARS Board is the behavioral health authority that plans, funds and monitors mental health and addiction services in Lorain County.

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Help Lorain County PREVENT SUICIDE

by Clare RosserSeptember 14, 2020 Blog0 comments

The Lorain County Suicide Prevention Coalition wants to hear from YOU! How do you think we should expand or enhance our efforts? Do you want to join our team? Major initiatives to save lives have risen out of this group in the past, and you can help advance the current work. Share your thoughts in a survey here: MHARSLC.ORG/suicide-prevention-coalition

Also read the Community Readiness Assessment Report on Suicide Prevention that was just issued for Lorain County, with thanks to our partners at Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation, Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, Ohio University Voinovich School, You Thrive, and PIRE Louisville.

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Commissioners proclaim September Suicide Prevention, Recovery Month

by Clare RosserSeptember 9, 2020 Blog, Uncategorized0 comments

At their August 26, 2020, meeting, the Lorain County Commissioners issued the following resolution:

PROCLAMATION on 2020 Overdose Awareness Day, Recovery Month and Suicide Prevention Month

WHEREAS, recovery from substance use disorders and mental illness is an essential part of health and one’s overall wellness; and

WHEREAS, treatment for mental illness, substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders is effective, and people can and do recover in our area and around the nation; and

WHEREAS, September is nationally recognized as both RECOVERY MONTH and SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH; and we launch this time of national attention by honoring and remembering lives lost to addiction on OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY on August 31; and

WHEREAS, overdose and suicide are serious public health issues that can have lasting harmful effects on individuals and families; and

WHEREAS, Lorain County supports effective strategies to promote awareness of mental health and addiction concerns of Lorain County residents while also promoting prevention, resilience, and a commitment to social change; and

WHEREAS, this year, the global pandemic presents new stressors that may challenge people who are vulnerable to addiction or mental illness, and the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board of Lorain County is offering new and established services and supports to help; and

WHEREAS, any member of our community can learn about risk factors, recognize warning signs and take them seriously, know how to respond to save a life by connecting a loved one or family member to the treatment that will be most effective for them;

NOW, THEREFORE, the Lorain County Board of Commissioners do hereby recognize OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY on August 31, and recognize September 2020 as SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH and RECOVERY MONTH throughout Lorain County. We affirm that the people affected by addiction and mental illness are our sons and daughters, our mothers and fathers, our brothers and sisters, and deserving of our love, compassion and support.

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Purple flags fly and purple lights shine for Overdose Awareness Day on August 31

by Clare RosserAugust 28, 2020 Blog, MHARS News, Uncategorized0 comments

Addiction is often a hushed topic, as families privately confront its effects, and even grieve over lives lost. The Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board is recognizing August 31 as International Overdose Awareness Day with a series of public, visible tributes across Lorain County.

“Our Opioid Response Community Engagement Team wanted to put the topic of overdose and addiction right out there, in purple, for all to see and acknowledge,” said Jinx Mastney, the Board’s Opioid Response Outreach Coordinator and Chair of the team. “And we found eager partners in Lorain County businesses, organizations and residents who realize that it’s time to show clear support for families who are facing a disease that devastates, but from which it is possible to recover.”

More than 30 businesses and organizations are displaying 89 purple flags, in tribute to the 89 lives lost to accidental overdose in Lorain County in 2019. Churches and other buildings with bells will toll them for 89 seconds at noon on Monday. Other buildings will shine with purple lights.

The day launches September’s Recovery Month, a national observance to educate Americans that substance use treatment and mental health services can enable those with mental and substance use disorders to live healthy and rewarding lives.

“Our Board observes Overdose Awareness Day to acknowledge the grief felt by families and friends remembering those who have died or had a permanent injury as a result of drug overdose. Seeing such widespread support from the community also encourages our addiction prevention work,” said Elaine Georgas, Interim Director of the MHARS Board.

Mastney said that she will be wearing purple, the international color of Overdose Awareness Day, on Monday. She also expects to see photos online of residents wearing purple, with posts using the hashtags #endoverdose and #recoveryisbeautiful.

“The purple lights, purple flags, bells, and even my purple shirt, are a signal to the wider community that we support our neighbors, no matter their struggle,” Mastney said.

She also will attend an event hosted by Let’s Get Real, Inc., an agency in the MHARS network of addiction and mental health providers. The “Candles in Remembrance” event on Monday, August 31, at 8 p.m., at 1939 Oberlin Avenue in Lorain, will include the opportunity for participants to share a photo and a message about a loved one.

A map of flag locations, plus other information about activities, ways to get involved or find help for a loved one, are available at mharslc.org/recovery. Stories of recovery will be available throughout the month of September at the Board’s Facebook page, facebook.com/mharslc.

The Addiction Helpline is available at 440-989-4900.

The MHARS Board is the behavioral health authority that plans, funds and monitors mental health and addiction services in Lorain County. Learn more at mharslc.org.

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	Mark Johnson now leads the team as the Community Services Director. He is a Licensed Independent Social Worker-Supervision, with a Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University. He started his career as a therapist serving children and families. Then, he held several roles including Clinical Services Director over two decades for a community-based mental health and substance use disorder treatment agency with multiple Northeast Ohio sites. He now brings his clinical and administrative aptitude to his work in Lorain County.
	Tonya Birney joins the team in a new role as Dissemination and Implementation Officer of Prevention Services. Birney earned her Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Walden University. She is a Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor, Ohio Certified Prevention Consultant, and Licensed Professional Counselor, and a trainer for multiple programs. In a previous role, she provided administrative oversite and supervision for behavioral health and public health, including alcohol and drug outpatient treatment, behavioral health prevention, and harm reduction services. Birney lives in Grafton.
	A resident of Lorain, Rebecca Jones joins the team as the Child and Adolescent Services Director. Jones is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor-Supervision with a Master of Education in Community Agency Counseling. Most recently, she served as a clinical director at the largest mental health care provider in the MHARS Board network. She has worked in community mental health for 20 years, with extensive experience in providing clinical oversight of behavioral health services to diverse populations. She is known for developing and implementing best-practice clinical programming to meet the needs of the community.
	Amanda Divis will serve as the Board’s Treatment and Recovery Services Director. Following graduate school at Case Western Reserve University, Divis began her career conducting in-home community-based therapy for adolescents with co-occurring substance use and mental health concerns. She has addressed mental health and recovery needs with people of all ages and from diverse backgrounds in the individual, group and family-based settings. She is dedicated to community-based mental health, addiction recovery and harm reduction programming. Divis is a resident of Avon Lake.