$1.5 Million Awarded by US Congress to Fund Lorain County Crisis Receiving Center 

From Joint Release with The Nord Center:

The Nord Center applied for and was awarded $1.5 million in Congressionally Directed Spending. This request was made through United States Senator Sherrod Brown who worked to make this funding a reality.

This earmarked federal funding underlines of The Nord Center’s commitment to being an active and meaningful participant in the new Lorain County Crisis Receiving Center. The federal funds awarded to this project in combination with the funding received already from the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board of Lorain County , the Lorain County Commissioners, the Nord Family Foundation, and the Bass Family, set the stage in Lorain County for breakthrough behavioral health and substance use disorder crisis care.

This center, based on a best practice model used successfully elsewhere in the country, will expand the County’s capacity to provide inpatient detoxification services and revolutionize the care continuum for behavioral health and substance use disorder in Lorain County.  

“The Lorain County Crisis Receiving Center project has been the culmination of many years’ work and support from countless members of our community. They include civic leadership, healthcare, schools, law enforcement, courts, both state and federal legislators, philanthropic organizations and private business owners,” said Don Schiffbauer, Nord Center CEO. “Our local emergency rooms and law enforcement agencies are currently the treatment choice options for those in crisis. This center will provide a therapeutic, warm and welcoming setting in which to facilitate recovery by providing help through medication stabilization, access to case management, counseling services and appropriate assessment. Providers can also triage on-site for the right level of care, making seamless connections to community resources that will facilitate the recovery and healing process.”

The planned Crisis Receiving Center is an alternative and much improved vision for how Lorain County provides behavioral health and substance use disorder care. The project will enhance the crisis continuum in Lorain County with a first-of-its-kind facility to treat those experiencing a mental health or substance use disorder crisis. The project owner will be the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board of Lorain County in partnership with The Nord Center, The LCADA Way and many other valuable community partners. 

Currently, residents of Lorain County, experiencing a behavioral health crisis or substance use disorder emergency, primarily have two options: go to an emergency department at potentially great expense to the patient and to the community; or be taken to jail, which can overburden local law-enforcement agencies. 

In the Crisis Receiving Center model, people can receive rapid counseling, medication stabilization and assessment with immediate access to an appropriate level of care in a setting that is warm, inviting and therapeutic to both clients and their families and friends.  

In addition to significantly benefitting clients and their families, a Crisis Receiving Center also benefits the community by reducing crowding in emergency rooms and decreasing the use of law enforcement personnel for crisis management. This because, at a Crisis Receiving Center, law enforcement can drop a client off in a matter of minutes rather than potentially spending hours waiting with them at an emergency department.

“We thank you, Senator Brown, for this critically important investment in strengthening the crisis continuum in Lorain County,” said Michael Doud, Executive Director of the MHARS Board of Lorain County. “This funding will help bring this first-of-its-kind facility closer to opening its doors to anyone in our county experiencing a mental health or substance use disorder crisis.”

National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week

March 21 – 27, 2022 is National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week

What is National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week? NDAFW is an annual, nationwide observance of drug and alcohol use among youth. It was first launched in 2010 by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA).

 DID YOU KNOW?

• Narcan can save a person’s life during an opioid overdose.
• Young people who vaped are four times more likely to start smoking cigarettes.
• Vaping can cause sinus infections, nose bleeds and asthma.
• Smoking marijuana can cause damage to the lungs.
• People who drink before the age of 15 are five times more likely to become addicted to alcohol.
• People ages 12-20 drink 4% of all alcohol consumed in the United States.

So, What Can You Do? 

If you or someone you may know has been experiencing issues with drug or alcohol abuse, there are many providers in Lorain County who can assist. Check out the Provider Agencies directory to find the right provider for you or your loved one.

Interested in Expanding Your Knowledge About Drugs and Alcohol?

Check out the MHARS Board NDFAW 2022 Activity Workbook! Also check out NDFAW’s Drug and Alcohol Facts Kahoot! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to view important facts throughout NDFAW.

Need immediate help?

• 24/7 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988
• 24/7 Alcohol and Drug Helpline for Lorain County: 440-989-4900
• 24/7 Crisis Text Line: Text 4HOPE to 741-741

AmeriCorps Week

March 13 – 19 is AmeriCorps Week!

AmeriCorps is an organization that serves people throughout the United States, in areas such as education, economics, disaster response, and providing healthy futures for those that are in need. AmeriCorps Week was created to celebrate the hard work and services that AmeriCorps members provide year-round. At the MHARS Board of Lorain County, Andrea Sedlacek works as our AmeriCorps VISTA member.

Andrea Sedlacek graduated from Bowling Green State University in 2020 with her BS in Criminal Justice, as well as graduating in 2021 from Bowling Green State University with her Masters in Criminal Justice. After graduating in 2021, Sedlacek joined the MHARS Board as the AmeriCorps VISTA worker. 

Andrea has been an important member of the MHARS Board, working on different grants and projects for Lorain County. She has worked on the Ohio Collaborative Program Development grant under the Ohio Program for Campus Safety and Mental Health, which provides campus programming, such as suicide prevention training and mental health screenings. Sedlacek is also involved in the Harm Reduction and Family branch and participates in Drug Take Back Day and International Overdose Awareness Day.

Thank you Andrea for everything you do for the Board and the community!

LCOAT Family Support Branch Debuts Resource Guide

The Lorain County Opioid Action Team’s (LCOAT) Family Support Branch has created a new resource guide for families affected by substance use disorder.

When a loved one struggles with addiction, we may not know how to help. This guide is designed by family members of those struggling with substance use disorder to make the process of finding help a little easier.

Click here to download the printable It’s OK to Talk About It guide.

Coping with the Holidays Guide Available Online

Holidays can be the most wonderful time of the year for many, but it can also be stressful. There are many expectations surrounding the holiday season such as expensive gifts, spending time with friends and families during the pandemic, work parties, etc. 

Here are some tips on how to cope with stress during the holiday season from our Coping with the Holidays Guide:

1. Make time for yourself – Do something you enjoy, such as knitting, painting, or even just watching your favorite show.
2. Make a list of everything you need to get done and prioritize each of them. When you start getting overwhelmed, work on the first thing on your “must do” list.
3. Be around people who care about you – Having supportive friends and family around can help you in many ways.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help – Whether it be having your friends help wrap gifts or reaching out to a therapist, make sure to know your needs and acknowledge them.
5. Don’t pressure yourself to buy everyone an expensive gift. Thoughtful, low-dollar gifts are perfect when you don’t want to break the bank.
6. Take advantage of discounts and clearance items in stores. This is a great way to save money throughout your gift shopping.

Want more tips to beat stress, delicious recipes, and more resources? Check out the Coping with the Holidays Guide!

Happy Holidays from all of us at the MHARS Board of Lorain County.

If you need help this season, please reach out. 

Text 4hope to 741-741 to talk to a licensed therapist without having to call. The line is open 24/7.

24-hour Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988

By: Kaeli Moody

RFQ Questions Answered

Below are the questions submitted as part of the RFQ for a project manager/owner representative for the Lorain County Crisis Receiving Center. The questions, as they were sent, are listed below in a bolded font.

MHARS Board Celebrates Front-Line Workers During First Responder Week of Appreciation

As part of a statewide show of gratitude to front-line 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.

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

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. The MHARS Board also 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.

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. To view photos, visit our Facebook page throughout the week at www.facebook.com/mharslc.

PHOTOS: International Overdose Awareness Day Vigil Held Aug. 31

Approximately 200 people filled Lakeview Terrace on August 31 to remember those whose lives were lost to accidental overdose in Lorain County. In 2020, 138 lives were tragically lost to accidental overdose. The families of those whose lives were lost as well as those in recovery spoke about their experiences. Several partners from the Lorain County Opioid Action Team provided resources.

Leading up to the event, a number of locations around Lorain County displayed 138 flags and signage in memory of the 138 lives lost in 2020 due to accidental overdose. On August 31, employees at the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services Board of Lorain County dressed in purple in honor of the lives lost. The Lorain County vigil was one of hundreds that were held around the world on August 31 for International Overdose Awareness Day.

Below are some scenes from the event.