DeWine outlines plans to expand children’s mental health, cr

DeWine outlines plans to expand child mental health and crisis programs in State of the State address

Governor DeWine focused much of his annual State of the State address on children Wednesday.
He detailed how he hopes to expand programs and efforts to support children and families in crisis, where they are.

“All of these children need more than a doctor,” the governor said. “They need therapists, prescribers, teachers, school counselors and other caring people to help.”

A big part of that is making mobile response stabilization services available in all 88 counties.
Currently, 24 MRSS programs cover 38 counties.
Mental health professionals and often police respond to the most urgent calls within an hour.

“We have been doing this here in Mahoning County for a little over a year,” said Joe Shorokey, CEO of Alta Behavioral Healthcare. He told 21 News that expanding the program would allow police to focus on crimes and investigations instead of being tied down to so many calls.
One of them came a few hours before we talked to him.

“We had CIT (crisis intervention training) officers from the Youngstown Police Department respond,” he said. “We were able to get them back on the road quickly, make sure the staff and the situation were safe, and bounce back from there…because of that program.”

But while Shorokhi and others are evaluating the program, its potential is hampered by the difficulty of finding workers who are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

“Any financial support from the governor’s office to encourage employees and agencies to work shifts that most people don’t want to work would help expand the program,” said Trumbull County Commissioner April Callaway. Deaf,” he said. Mental Health and Recovery Committee.

It remains to be seen whether Mr. DeWine will take that request to lawmakers.