National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is October 23
The Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board of Lorain County is supporting the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on October 23 across Lorain County. In April 2021, Lorain County Drug Take Back events resulted in the collection of 3,883.7 pounds of prescription drugs.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., volunteers will provide free locking medication safes and other drug safety resources across the county at the locations noted below with an asterisk. At the locations listed without an asterisk, visitors can drop off their medications with law enforcement officers or other personnel for disposal. All are encouraged to clean out their medicine cabinets of potentially harmful drugs by safely disposing of them at this free, confidential annual event. The effort is led nationally by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Locations in Lorain County include:
- Amherst Police Department* at 911 North Lake St. 44001
- Avon Lake Police Department at 32855 Walker Rd. 44012
- Avon Police Department at 36145 Detroit Rd. 44011
- Columbia Township Fire Department at 25540 Royalton Rd. 44028
- Elyria Police Department * 18 West Ave. 44035
- Grafton Police Department* at 1009 Chestnut St. 44044
- Kipton Police Department* at 299 State St. 44049
- LaGrange Police Department at 301 Liberty St. 44050
- Lorain County Sheriff’s Office* at 9896 Murray Ridge Rd. 44035
- Lorain Police Department * at 200 West Erie Ave. 44052
- North Ridgeville Department* at 7303 Avon-Belden Rd. 44039
- Oberlin Police Department at 85 South Main St. 44074
- Sheffield Lake Police Department * at 609 Harris Rd. 44054
- Sheffield Village Police Department at 4340 Colorado Ave. 44054
- Vermilion Police Department* at 5791 Liberty Ave. 44089
- Wellington Police Department* at 117 Willard Memorial Square 44090
The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers, 4.9 million people misused prescription stimulants, and 5.9 million people misused prescription tranquilizers or sedatives in 2019. The survey also showed that a majority of misused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.
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New Board Members Appointed to MHARS Board of Directors
New board of director members have been appointed to the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board of Lorain County. Two members were appointed this week to the Board and one was reappointed earlier this month. More info about them and the appointing authority is below.
- Hope Moon (Lorain) – Moon was reappointed to serve on the MHARS Board of Lorain County in September 2021. She was appointed by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. Moon is currently a Professor of Nursing at Lorain County Community College, and is a resident of Lorain. As an educator, her focus is to appropriately educate the workforce on addiction and mental health issues. She served as a nurse in the emergency department of the former St. Joseph/Lorain Community Hospital. Moon earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Kent State University, a Master of Science from School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University, and ultimately, a Doctoral of Nursing Practice in Educational Leadership.
- Patricia Bell (Oberlin) – Bell was appointed by the Lorain County Commissioners to serve on the MHARS Board of Directors in September 2021. She was sworn in on September 28 at the board of directors scheduled meeting. Bell has nearly 20 years of experience working in the fields of mental health and addiction and is a registered nurse. She holds an associate degree from Lorain County Community College.
- Michele Flanagan (Avon Lake) – Flanagan was appointed by the Lorain County Commissioners to serve on the MHARS Board of Directors in September 2021. She was sworn in on September 28 at the board of directors scheduled meeting. She is a partner at the Westlake-based Comprehensive Behavioral Specialists LLC. She has more than 20 years’ experience as a therapist working throughout Northeast Ohio. Flanagan is a licensed social worker and professional clinical counselor. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Westminster College in Pennsylvania and her Master of Arts from the University of Akron.
“Our new board members bring with them a wealth of experience and knowledge,” said Board President Dan Urbin. “I welcome them to the MHARS Board of Directors and look forward to working with them.”
Anyone interested in a board position should complete the application by clicking here. More information about requirements and about serving on the board is available by clicking here.
Learn MoreRFQ Issued for Project Manager/Owner Rep for Crisis Receiving Center
The Mental Health, Addiction & Recovery Services (MHARS) Board of Lorain County has issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) for a project manager/owner representative for the Lorain County Crisis Receiving Center. To view the full RFQ, click here.
Respondents interested in being considered may submit questions by 5 p.m. on Friday, October 8, 2021. On or before 5 p.m. on Friday, October 22, 2021, Respondent shall deliver by mail or in person any qualifications, along with all materials and other items supporting any proposals, to the MHARS Board offices at 1173 North Ridge Rd. E, Lorain, OH 44055. If submitting materials in person, they must be delivered during normal business hours, Monday-Friday between 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Proposals received after this deadline will not be considered.
All proposals are to be prepared at the submitter’s expense. The MHARS Board reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals, in whole or part, and accept any proposal which it deems favorable. The MHARS Board shall have no liability to any submitter whose proposal is not accepted. Acceptance of a proposal shall not constitute an Agreement between the submitter and the MHARS Board until a contract is negotiated between both parties.
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Sept. 27: Free Virtual Training – Addiction Recovery Supports & Tools for Families
We often miss, overlook or underestimate the impact of a person’s struggle with addiction and their intimate connection or lack thereof that the person has with their family. How the family responds, communicates, and intervenes can change the entire family system and have long-lasting effects from generation to generation. This National Recovery Month workshop will explore family dynamics in addiction recovery and revealed tools and supports to help the family reach recovery together.
Join us for this free virtual training on Sept. 27 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Register on Eventbrite by clicking here and the event info will be sent via email with confirmation.
Objectives:
- Examine intervention models that assist the family in changing their response to their loved one’s disease.
- Identify recovery supports for families and the importance of making sure the family gets the help they need.
- List the needs of the addicted family system and the family roles that develop due to those unmet needs.
- Formulate an individual advocacy strategy to assist families in recovery in Lorain County, Ohio.
Agenda
Introductions
How Addiction Affects the Family -53 minutes
- Defining addiction
- Case study of Sam’s family
- Codependence and what is really going on in the family
- Closer look at family roles
Trauma and Addiction- 7 minutes
- Safety
- Fight -Flight Response: Survival Brain States
- Three Family Rules
Interventions-10 minutes
- The Johnson Institute Model
- Love First Intervention
- The Community Reinforcement and Family (CRAFT) Training MODEL
- ARISE
Family Recovery Supports -30 minutes
- Support groups
- Family counseling
- Family education
- Peer Parent Coaching
- Recovery planning
Advocacy Strategies to Assist Families in Recovery -20 minutes
- Professionals support families
- Community support families
- Words Matter: Reducing Stigma
- Individual advocacy strategy
Questions & Evaluation
About the Presenter
Tonya Birney, MS, LPC, LICDC, OCPC, is the Dissemination and Implementation Director of Prevention Services for the Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Services Board of Lorain County. 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, 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 resides in Grafton, Ohio.
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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.
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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.
Lorain County Commissioners Allocate $4M to Crisis Center
The Lorain County Board of Commissioners voted today to allocate $4 million for a crisis stabilization center aimed at helping those struggling with addiction and mental health issues.
“The $4 million in funding from Lorain County matches $4 million previously allocated by the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board of Lorain County for a crisis center,” said County Commissioner Michelle Hung. “The facility would help divert those struggling with addiction and mental health issues from the criminal justice system to get the help they need and ease the burden on law enforcement to deal with these medical issues in the midst of their day-to-day work in ensuring public safety.”
Commissioner Matt Lundy added, “A crisis stabilization center is not just a game-changer, it’s a life saver, and it’s critical to our local economy. Instead of flooding our courts and jails, we can dedicate ourselves to putting people back to work and most importantly back with their families. This is one of the most important decisions and investments this board will ever make to change lives in our county.”
The Lorain County facility will offer 32 beds, 16 for those struggling with mental health issues and 16 for those seeking help for addiction. It will be staffed by medical professionals specializing in addiction and mental health. The $4 million allocated from the County Commissioners is funded by dollars from Lorain County’s recent opioid settlement and from The American Rescue Plan.
“When a person experiences an addiction or mental health crisis, it may not always be clear to them, their loved ones and law enforcement how to handle these specialized medical issues,” said MHARS Board Executive Director Michael Doud. “This crisis center is a front door to access services in our community. It is an investment in modernizing the level of care we are able to provide Lorain County residents struggling with addiction and mental health issues.”
Today’s vote was preceded by a presentation to the Board of Commissioners from Executive Director Doud, The Nord Center’s CEO Don Schiffbauer, The LCADA Way’s President & CEO Dan Haight and MHARS Board of Directors President Dan Urbin.
Urbin, who shared with the Board of Commissioners the story of his road to recovery added, “My passion has been to help others who seek a life of recovery from their disease. Living a life of sobriety for me is best defined by being ‘considerate and understanding.’ We are pleased with the Commissioners’ decision to fund this important and long-awaited facility here in Lorain County. To have a crisis center in Lorain County would indeed be very considerate and, without a doubt, very understanding.”
Learn MoreMHARS Board of Lorain County Receives Grant Funding for Mobile Response Stabilization Services
The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), in partnership with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s Children’s Initiative and the Ohio Department of Medicaid, has announced that the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board of Lorain County is the recipient of a $224,368 grant for Mobile Response Stabilization Services (MRSS).
“This grant will allow us to reach youth and their families with critical services when and where they are most urgently needed,” said MHARS Board Executive Director Michael Doud. “It is an important addition to our toolbelt to ensure we improve our crisis response in Lorain County.”
The MHARS Board of Lorain County is one of eight behavioral health boards in Ohio to receive an MRSS grant. Ohio’s MRSS program provides mobile, on-site and rapid intervention for youth ages 0-21 who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis. This allows for immediate de-escalation of the situation in the least restrictive setting possible, prevention of the condition from worsening and the timely stabilization of the crisis. The mobile crisis component of MRSS is designed to provide time-limited, on-demand crisis intervention services in any setting in which a behavioral health crisis is occurring, including homes, schools and emergency departments. Depending on the needs of the child, the stabilization component may include a temporary, out-of-home crisis resolution in a safe environment.
“These investments are an important step forward for Ohio in meeting the needs of children and families experiencing a mental health crisis,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “While nobody can predict when and where a mental health crisis will occur, Ohio’s MRSS Program represents an important first line of defense in providing timely access to services, improving outcomes for children and families, and reducing burdens on law enforcement and emergency departments.”
“The goal of this program is to intercede before urgent behavioral situations become unmanageable emergencies,” said OhioMHAS Director Lori Criss. “This expansion will allow us to engage young people and their families immediately to de-escalate a crisis and provide local stabilization services that help keep them safe and healthy in their own homes and communities.”
Click here to view OhioMHAS’s press release.
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PHOTOS: Elaine Georgas Retires After 30 Years with ADAS, MHARS Boards
On July 29, the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board of Lorain County bid farewell to former Interim Executive Director Elaine Georgas who retired after 30 years of service.
A retirement open house was held in her honor at the Amy Levin Center at the MHARS. Board of Directors President Dan Urbin presented her with a plaque in recognition of her service as well as a plaque that will be placed alongside a tree that was planted by the Amy Levin Center in her honor. County Commissioner Matt Lundy presented Georgas with a proclamation. Staff presented her with a gift on their behalf.
Below are scenes from the event.
Aug. 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day
The Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services Board of Lorain County will be joined by fellow Lorain County Opioid Action Team partners to hold a vigil on August 31 on International Overdose Awareness Day. The vigil will be held from 6-8 p.m. at Lakeview Terrace at Lakeview Park in memory of the 138 lives tragically lost in Lorain County in 2020 due to accidental overdose.
“Each year, the number of Lorain County residents who die from accidental overdose continues to rise and it is a problem not only in our area but around the country,” said MHARS Executive Director Michael Doud. “By increasing the public’s awareness of their proximity to those struggling with substance use disorder and reducing the stigma of drug-related deaths, we can all do our part to reduce the number of our loved ones lost to overdose.”
This year’s event will feature a candlelight vigil and shoe display memorializing those who have walked the road of addiction and died. In addition, those in recovery and the families of those lost to overdose will share their stories. Community partners will also be on hand to share important resources. The event is free and open to the public.
Leading up to the event, two free trainings will be held in August. All are invited to these trainings especially persons in recovery, the loved ones of those struggling with addiction, first responders, counselors, social workers, medical personnel, faith leaders, veterans, teachers, business leaders and community members:
- The Addiction Policy Forum and Recovery Ohio will conduct “enCompass: A Comprehensive Training on Navigating Addiction” on Aug. 26, 2021 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This virtual training is open to anyone interested in building skills to support and respond to someone in need of immediate help. RSVP at https://www.addictionpolicy.org/post/lorain-county-encompass-training.
- “Lorain County’s First Response Training Series: Preventing Opioid Deaths” will be held virtually on Aug. 17, 2021 from 1-3:30 p.m. Registration is open at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PAT21JZPTPe2zeu-4FMfQA
In 2019, there were a record 874 IOAD events of all kinds, held in 39 countries. Last year, despite the disruption caused by COVID-19, the world united again to hold 602 events. 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.
According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s most recent World Annual Drug Report, 585,000 people around the world died as a result of drug use in 2017. Statistics for 2020 show that the situation has become even more critical since the current pandemic began, decreasing tolerance of people who struggle with substance user disorder and disrupting both services and the drug supply chain.
Those who are unable to attend the event but would like to support from afar are welcome to light up their homes in purple on August 31. They are also encouraged to wear purple at home, school and/or work and share photos of their gatherings on social media with the hashtag #EndOverdose.
We will livestream much of the event on our Facebook page at facebook.com/mharslc. Click here to view the event flyer.
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