MANSFIELD, Ohio – The Richland County Commissioners passed the second resolution for the Richland Mental Health and Recovery Services’ 10-year, 1-mill renewal tax levy during their meeting on Tuesday, effectively putting the levy on the November ballot.
The commissioners invited Joe Trolian, Executive Director of Richland Mental Health and Recovery Services, to explain what the levy means to the public in working dollars.
Trolian noted the levy has been in existence since 1986 and has been replaced and renewed several times, most recently in 2010.
“The levy does a lot of different things for us,” said Trolian. “It makes up 40 percent of the current budget – that’s been an increase, when Medicaid left our system we lost a lot of state and federal dollars so the levy went from about 15 percent (of the budget) to 40 percent.”
Trolian said in May that the agency is asking for a 10-year levy instead of a five-year levy to keep from coming back in just five years and ask the public to vote again for a levy.
Levy funds cover a number of different services to people who do not qualify for Medicaid on a sliding fee scale, according to Trolian. Those services include diagnostic assessments, emergency and crisis services, and case management at no cost to consumers. And that’s only the beginning.
“We have vocational programming; in 2014 we had 181 individuals with severe and persistent mental illness and severe addiction that were being trained vocationally to take on jobs,” said Trolian. “One-third of them were able to find jobs – these are populations that 10 years ago nobody considered them employable.”
Levy funds also help Mental Health and Recovery Services provide about 80 units of housing to people with severe and persistent mental illness as well as those who are transitioning into their first year of recovery from addiction. Trolian explained the housing complexes are managed by Catalyst Life Services and residents are monitored on a regular basis.
“We’re doing what we can to make sure our consumers don’t become homeless,” said Trolian. “Rather than getting (addicts) through treatment and putting them back in the neighborhood, that hasn’t changed yet, we want to make sure they get the 18 months to two years of sobriety under their belt.”
Preventative efforts such as the Community Action for Capable Youth (CACY) and the Mansfield Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program (UMADAOP) also benefit from levy funding, at no charge to the community. Trolian noted CACY is active in every school system with bullying, drug and alcohol, tobacco, and gambling preventions. Commissioner Marilyn John stated she has heard feedback from an educator’s standpoint emphasizing the importance of mental health services in schools.
“She was saying how difficult it is from an educator’s standpoint, there are a lot of kids who don’t have families to surround and support them so it makes these services even more important,” said John. “She has students where it’s hard because there aren’t enough services to get them in right away. That’s why this is so important, to diagnose these areas of concern early and get them help as soon as possible so they can go on to live productive lives.”
Trolian stated that Mental Health and Recovery Services has a proposal to be implemented next year that will place licensed therapists in school systems that can provide services on site. This is a step forward from the Services’ case managers that would visit school systems and assess whether there is a need for services.
“It reduces the stigma that usually keeps people from seeking out treatment to begin with – we’re trying to make this no different than going to see the pediatrician,” said Trolian. “The stigma has decreased so people are willing to come forward and seek help, where it used to be people would hide the problem. The sooner we can intervene, the more likely a person will live a long, productive life no different than you and I.”
Trolian explained the levy would cost a homeowner approximately $1 for every $1,000 of property evaluation annually, and said the levy has been raising about $2 million annually. The levy has also allowed Mental Health and Recovery Services to access more state and federal funding.
“And I’m just scratching the surface,” said Trolian.
“For the residents of Richland County who don’t always get the facts and know what’s going on, this helps them in a small way find out just exactly what services you provide to the county,” said Commissioner Gary Utt.
