Issue 9, the Lorain County Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services Renewal Levy Passes with Overwhelming Support from Voters

Voters approved – with 72.42% support in all but one precinct reporting as of 9:30 p.m. – a renewal of a five-year Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services Levy in Lorain County to ensure that families continue to have access to mental health crisis options in emergencies, treatment and prevention programs for children and adults, and addiction recovery services.

“We would like to thank all residents in Lorain County for showing their support of evidenced based prevention and treatment services,” said Michael Doud, Executive Director. “The passage of this levy allows the Board to reinforce a strategic plan to best utilize service delivery today and provides hope for tomorrow. We are committed to meeting the recovery needs of our service area with evidence-based programming that will strengthen our community and individuals in need of mental health care. This YES vote allows us to better provide for those in need.” The Board would like to thank our coalition of providers, our partners, and community volunteers. On behalf of the nearly 16,000 Lorain County residents who receive mental health and recovery services across our health network, we would especially like to thank the voters for their continued support.

“The Board and staff are very grateful to the community for their belief in the work and services the Mental Health, Addiction & Recovery Services Board does in Lorain County,” said Board Chair Dan Urbin.

About the Levy:
The Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services levy was a renewal of a $3.9 million, 0.6- mill, 5-year levy on the November 8, 2022, ballot. It is less than $1.25/month ($14.95/year) per $100,000 of property value. This levy, which won’t raise taxes, is one of the smallest in Lorain
County. State and federal funding for mental health and addiction treatment has remained relatively flat. In Lorain County, local support typically provides 59% of the annual operating budget that makes services possible. Passage of the renewal levy continues valued mental health and
addiction services to sustain a safe, vibrant community.

Proposals Now Accepted for the Frederick P. Slanina Foundation Fund

We are pleased to announce that proposals are now being accepted for the Frederick P. Slanina Foundation Fund. Currently, there is approximately $12,000 in the fund. 

The deadline submission is December 15, 2023.

HISTORY

In 1996, the former Lorain County Board of Mental Health (LCBMH) and the Mental Health Network agencies identified the need to support staff development within the Network.  Ten agency Executive Directors presented a signed request to the LCBMH.  This request put into motion the Frederick P. Slanina Foundation Fund, named after the LCBMH’s Executive Director who was retiring after 20 years of service with the Board and a total of 30 years in the mental health field.  At their February 20, 1997 meeting, the Board of Directors of the LCBMH adopted a resolution to officially establish the fund.  

Listed below are the fund’s priorities as determined in 1998, and attached are guidelines for individual applicants and for joint workshops.

PRIORITIES

1. Scholarships to assist Network staff in obtaining undergraduate or graduate education required for certification.

1. A grant to support a joint workshop for professional development in Lorain County.

SLANINA FOUNDATION FUND

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR INDIVIDUALS

• Scholarships will be granted for use during the 2023/2024 academic years.

• Scholarships must be for courses at an accredited institution and can be for an undergraduate or graduate degree.

• The individual must be an employee of a contract agency of the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services Board of Lorain County during the entire fiscal year for which the money is awarded.

• The individual must have successfully completed a semester or quarter to be able to receive scholarship funds.

• Individual requests must come through the Director of the Agency of employment with a recommendation from the direct supervisor.

• Scholarship funds will be disbursed to the agency or educational institution, not the individual.

INSTRUCTIONS

Please provide the following information:

• Name, Address, Phone, Position, Employing Agency.

• Amount and purpose of the grant, and a simple budget.

• Name of educational institution, length of time anticipated to complete a degree, and degree sought.

• Rationale regarding how the grant will help the individual’s professional development, and how it will help the agency.

• Length of service and professional goals.

• Commitment to provide service in the Mental Health Network throughout the fiscal year.

• Agency Director’s review and letter of recommendation.

• Date when the grant is needed.

• Please indicate if you have applied for or are receiving funding from other sources, i.e., grants, loans, and/or scholarships.
• A recent copy of your student transcripts.

Regarding distribution of funds, preference will first be given to courses leading to a degree from an accredited college or university, or for licensure, then consideration will be given to alternate methods or creative learning opportunities.

Please return requests and required documents by December 15, 2023 to:

Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services Board of Lorain County

ATTN:  Patrice McKinney

1173 North Ridge Road East, Suite 101

Lorain, OH  44055

pmckinney@mharslc.org

About the MHARS Renewal Levy 

About the MHARS Renewal Levy 

The Lorain County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to place a five-year renewal of the existing levy funding the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board of Lorain County on the Nov. 8, 2022 ballot. This renewal — which is not a tax increase — will be used to make sure that families have mental health crisis options in emergencies, treatment and prevention programs for children and adults, and addiction recovery services.

Mental illness and addiction are medical issues, not moral failings or character flaws. Recovery is possible, and your help passing this levy is crucial to help those struggling and their loved ones, not just now but into the future.

Here’s what you need to know about the renewal levy and how it will help the MHARS Board perform its essential services.

Just the Facts 

The MHARS levy is a renewal of a $3.9 million, 0.6-mill, 5-year levy on the Nov. 8, 2022 ballot. It is less than $1.75/month ($21/year) per $100,000 of property value. This levy, which won’t raise taxes, is one of the smallest in Lorain County.

State and federal funding for mental health and addiction treatment has remained relatively flat. In Lorain County, local support typically provides 59% of the annual operating budget that makes services possible. Passage of the renewal levy will continue valued mental health and addiction services to sustain a safe, vibrant community.

The Purpose 

The residents of Lorain County have been essential partners in ensuring that families have mental health crisis options in emergencies, treatment and prevention programs for children and adults, and addiction recovery services. The Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services Renewal Levy is critical to ensure cost effective prevention and intervention programs continue. These include:

• Investing in heroin and opioid addiction recovery programs
• Providing mental health and recovery services for children and families who cannot afford to pay for them, have nowhere else to turn, and could go untreated
• Helping teachers identify and connect students to treatment
• Providing training that improves skills of clinicians, law enforcement, and community members

The Bottom Line 

1. Nearly 16,000 Lorain County residents received mental health and recovery services across our health network in 2021. This renewal contributes a significant amount to keeping those services available for families – 24% of the clients served in our network are children.
2. Good steward of taxpayer dollars. The Lorain County Commissioners regularly reviews the levy and voted unanimously to place it on November 2022 ballot for renewal. By providing intervention and prevention services, the levy helps significantly reduce the burden on county resources. When compared to other alternatives, interventions funded by the levy are efficient and effective investments.
3. The levy is one of thesmallest county-wide operating levy, $1.75/month, and if approved by voters, it would continue to maintain support services promoting stronger and more vibrant communities in Lorain County.
4. With this levy renewal, we will continue to promote stronger, safer communities by funding programs essential to effective mental health and addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery services.

Do Your Part – VOTE! 

You can help us build stronger communities in Lorain County and maintain these vital services by voting FOR the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services renewal levy on Nov. 8.

ARE YOU REGISTERED?

CHECK YOUR REGISTRATION:  Visit MYOHIOVOTE.COM to check your registration and where to vote.

GET REGISTERED:  If you have a valid driver’s license, visit MYOHIOVOTE.COM to get registered online. Deadline is Oct. 11.

VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT

If you are a registered voter, download an application form at MYOHIOVOTE.COM. Mail in the filled-out form and you will receive your ballot in the mail. Remember to mail back or drop off your ballot by Nov. 7 to:

Lorain County Board of Elections
1985 North Ridge Road East
Lorain, OH 44055
voteloraincountyohio.gov 

EARLY VOTE

You can also vote early, in person, by visiting the Board of Elections. Early voting starts Tuesday, Oct. 12 and runs through 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7.

VOTE ON ELECTION DAY

Polls are open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8. Make sure to check your polling location with the Board of Elections.

The residents of Lorain County have been essential partners in ensuring that families have mental health crisis options in emergencies, treatment and prevention programs for children and adults, and addiction recovery services. The Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services Renewal Levy is critical to ensure cost effective prevention and intervention programs continue. These include:

• Investing in heroin and opioid addiction recovery programs
• Providing mental health and recovery services for children and families who cannot afford to pay for them, have nowhere else to turn, and could go untreated
• Helping teachers identify and connect students to treatment
• Providing training that improves skills of clinicians, law enforcement, and community members

Save the Date: International Overdose Awareness Day is Aug. 31

The Lorain County Opioid Action Team is hosting a vigil in memory of the 143 lives lost to accidental overdose in Lorain County in 2021. Community partners will be there with resource tables for prevention, treatment, recovery support. Free Narcan kits and more will be available. Those in recovery and the families of those who have struggled with addiction will share their stories.

WHERE: Spitzer Conference Center at Lorain County Community College, 1005 Abbe Rd. N., Elyria, OH 44035

WHEN: Aug. 31 from 5-8 p.m.

Questions? Email Jinx Mastney at jmastney@mharslc.org.

“In 2022, we have seen in Lorain County a number of overdose anomalies – which means there have been a series of unusual spikes in overdoses,” said MHARS Executive Director Michael Doud. “By coming together to remember those who lost their lives to accidental overdose and increasing the awareness of those struggling with substance abuse disorder, we can reduce the stigma, and hopefully, the number of drug-related overdose deaths.”

The event is free and open to the public. Overdose Lifeline trainings are offered for free in Lorain County. These courses are aimed at educating and training the public on the facts of addiction, the opioid crisis, combating stigma, harm reduction, and more. These trainings offer a way to learn about the epidemic and ways to help others struggling with substance use disorder. Addiction is a medical disease that can affect anyone, and it is important for all of us to learn more about it and to remove the stigma surrounding it.

People and communities come together annually to raise awareness of one of the world’s most urgent public health crises – one that, unfortunately, is only getting worse. In 2021, IOAD events of all kinds were held in at least 37 countries.

According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s most recent World Annual Drug Report, nearly half a million people around the world died as a result of drug use in 2019.

MHARS Board of Lorain County Announces New Board Officers

The Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board of Lorain County’s Board of Directors voted at its June 28 meeting on new officers for the 2023 Fiscal Year.

The officers for this one-year term will include:

• Dan Urbin, who will continue to serve as Chair
• James Schaeper, Vice Chair
• Hope Moon, Chair of Governance
• Sandra Premura, Treasurer

“With several important priorities ahead, one of the most notable of which is the construction of the Lorain County Crisis Receiving Center, the Board has been tasked with some of the biggest improvements to crisis care in Lorain County since its merger in 2019,” said Urbin. “I look forward to continuing to serve as the Board Chair and working with my fellow Board members, the Lorain County Commissioners, community leaders and residents.”

Under Ohio Revised Code 340, the volunteer Board of Directors has the legal responsibility for the planning, funding and monitoring of community mental health and alcohol and other addiction treatment services in Lorain County.

The Board of Directors also bid farewell to two retiring longtime Board members, Dr. Denise Eacott and Karen Sutera.

“It has been a privilege to work with Dr. Denise Eacott and Karen Sutera,” said MHARS Board Executive Director Michael Doud. “I thank them for years of invaluable service to the Board and dedication to improving mental health, addiction and recovery services for those in need and their loved ones in Lorain County.”

There are currently two Board of Directors vacancies that must be filled. Board members are not compensated and must complete an application and interview process before being appointed by the Lorain County Board of Commissioners or Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addictions Services. Applications can be found on our website by clicking here. Submit completed applications to Patrice McKinney at pmckinney@mharslc.org.

Prospective Board members must be residents of Lorain County and have an interest in mental health and/or addiction. In addition, a board member may not be related to any Lorain County Commissioner. A board member may not serve on the Board of any agency under contract with the Board or be employed by any such agency. A board member may not be employed by or be related to anyone employed by the MHARS Board. To learn more, visit our website.

MHARS Board Observes June as Pride Month

June marks Pride Month in the United States. The Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board of Lorain County supports access to services for all community members and understands the impact that support, inclusion and empathy can have. The celebration of Pride symbolizes the recognition, inclusion and vitality of LGBTQIA+ individuals.

To highlight the importance of access to mental health care, affirming services and life-saving support, last year’s National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health 2021 found that:

• 42% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth.
• 12% of white youth attempted suicide compared to 31% of Native/Indigenous youth, 21% of Black youth, 21% of multiracial youth, 18% of Latinx youth, and 12% of Asian/Pacific Islander youth.
• 94% of LGBTQ youth reported that recent politics negatively impacted their mental health.
• More than 80% of LGBTQ youth stated that COVID-19 made their living situation more stressful — and only 1 in 3 LGBTQ youth found their home to be LGBTQ-affirming.
• 70% of LGBTQ youth stated that their mental health was “poor” most of the time or always during COVID-19.
• 48% of LGBTQ youth reported they wanted counseling from a mental health professional but were unable to receive it in the past year.
• 30% of LGBTQ youth experienced food insecurity in the past month, including half of all Native/Indigenous LGBTQ youth. 75% of LGBTQ youth reported that they had experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity at least once in their lifetime.
• Half of all LGBTQ youth of color reported discrimination based on their race/ethnicity in the past year, including 67% of Black LGBTQ youth and 60% of Asian/Pacific Islander LGBTQ youth.
• 13% of LGBTQ youth reported being subjected to conversion therapy, with 83% reporting it occurred when they were under age 18.
• Transgender and nonbinary youth who reported having pronouns respected by all of the people they lived with attempted suicide at half the rate of those who did not have their pronouns respected by anyone with whom they lived.
• Transgender and nonbinary youth who were able to change their name and/or gender marker on legal documents, such as driver’s licenses and birth certificates, reported lower rates of attempting suicide.
• LGBTQ youth who had access to spaces that affirmed their sexual orientation and gender identity reported lower rates of attempting suicide.

Check out The Trevor Project National Survey to view interactive survey results and to learn more about the relationship between mental health, support and access to affirming services.

20 Law Enforcement Officers Complete Crisis Training

Twenty law enforcement officers participated in Lorain County Crisis Intervention Team Training April 4-8.

Training consisted of presentations from several Lorain County agencies that work with those struggling with mental illness and substance use disorders. The officers also heard from individuals and families with lived experience to understand how to better help when in crisis. In addition, they learned how to properly engage with someone experiencing a mental health crisis including de-escalation skills and even learned about QPR training for persons who may be suicidal. 

The officers learned about the many resources in the Lorain County aimed at getting the assistance they need to prevent, among other things, unnecessary incarcerations.

Graduates were from the following departments:

• Amherst Police Department
• Avon Police Department
• Elyria Police Department
• Grafton Police Department
• Lorain County Adult Probation
• Lorain County Sheriff’s Office
• Lorain Police Department
• Sheffield Village Police Department
• Vermilion Police Department

Check out images from the CIT below.

4,047 Pounds Collected in Lorain County Drug Take Back Day

Thanks to everyone who came out and made Drug Take Back Day a success – from those who dropped off their unused medications to those who volunteered and the law enforcement who collected the meds.

In total, 4,047.3 pounds of unused meds were collected, according to the final count.

Here is how much was collected by location:

• Amherst, 556.2 lbs – 29 boxes
• Lorain Police, 540.8 lbs – 26 boxes
• Avon Lake, 253.2lbs – 13 boxes
• Oberlin Police, 250.6 lbs -15 boxes
• Lorain County Sheriff, 430.8 lbs – 32 boxes
• Wellington Police, 173.2 lbs – 10 boxes
• Elyria Police, 333.5 lbs – 24 boxes
• North Ridgeville Police, 309.2 lbs -13 boxes
• Avon Police, 598.6 lbs – 39 boxes
• Grafton Police 186.4 lbs – 13 boxes
• LaGrange Police, 82.2 lbs – 4 boxes
• Columbia Township, 147.4lbs – 8 boxes
• Kipton Police, 24 lbs – 2 boxes
• Sheffield Lake Police, 31.8 lbs – 1 box
• Sheffield Village Police, 36.4 lbs – 1 box
• Vermilion Police, 87 lbs – 6 boxes

Total collected – 4047.3