Behavioral Health Matters Scholarship Recipients
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ohio –
The Washington County Behavioral Health Board supports local workforce development in the area of behavioral health, including the fields of social work and counseling. This year, the Board awarded three $2,500.00 Behavioral Health Matters scholarships to provide support to students who are pursuing an associate, baccalaureate, or master’s degree in the behavioral health field. At the Board’s first annual appreciation event hosted on June 23rd, 2021, the recipients of the scholarships were announced and recognized.
It is important to remember that behavioral health is a blanket term that includes mental health and addiction. Behavioral health describes the connection between behaviors and the health and well-being of the body, mind, and spirit. This would include how behaviors like eating habits, drinking, substance misuse, or other behaviors impact physical and mental health.
The Board received many applications of qualified scholars, and is appreciative of every applicants’ time, interest, and dedication to the nature of the workforce. The scholarship committee, comprised of WCBHB Board members, selected Washington County residents who are passionate about serving Washington County long-term and are attending school within the county. This year’s scholarship recipients included Lacey Wilson, Derek Layton, and Megan Gilliam.
Lacey Wilson is a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) who decided to continue her education in the field of mental health and addiction. During her time as a LPN, she worked in nontraditional settings such as prisons, jails, and community mental health settings, and is compelled to address all aspects of health to make a difference in people’s lives. She is continuing her education at Marietta College and obtaining her Master’s degree in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.
Derek Layton is continuing his education at Marietta College and obtaining his Master’s degree in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. Derek’s long term goals include being a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), owning and operating a private practice in the Mid-Ohio Valley, and working with adolescents.
Megan Gilliam is starting her career in social work by studying at Washington State Community College. Megan has lived experience, passion, and dedication to the field of mental health and addiction. Currently, she is employed, taking full time credits, and volunteering. Her long-term goals include continuing her education in social work and obtaining her master’s degree.
The Washington County Behavioral Health Board wishes to thank the citizens of Washington County for your continued support through our Mental Health Levy passed in 2017. Since receiving additional funding, Washington County has had tremendous growth in local programs and services. As a next step to addressing the local need, the Board has been able to utilize levy funding to support scholars that are growing the local behavioral health workforce.
If you are interested in learning more about the field of behavioral health, please visit our website: www.wcbhb.org or call the Board office: 740-374-6990.
Learn MorePride Month LGBTQ
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ohio –
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning (LGBTQ) community represents a diverse spectrum of identities, expressions of gender, and sexual orientation. LGBTQ Pride Month is celebrated annually in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots, and efforts to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) Americans. Pride Month is not only a month of celebration, but an opportunity to reflect and learn about the historic and current challenges individuals of the LGBTQ community face in being open with themselves and finding supportive environments to thrive.
Belonging to the LGBTQ community can be a major source of strength, but may also bring unique challenges. It’s important to recognize how individuals’ experiences of sexual orientation and gender identity can relate to mental health.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) members of the LGBTQ community are more than twice as likely to experience depression, anxiety disorders, and other mental health challenges.
There are many important risk factors that contribute to mental health challenges in the LGBTQ community including stigma, societal rejection, or trauma from homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, bullying, or identity shaming. Often, substance misuse and/or overuse, and self-harm may be used as a coping mechanisms or as a form of self-medication for resulting mental health challenges.
NAMI further states that compared to the general population, LGBTQ adults are twice more likely to experience a substance use disorder and transgender individuals are almost four times as likely to experience a substance use disorder. LGBTQ members are also at an increased risk of experiencing homelessness as a result of family rejection or discrimination. High school students who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual are more than four times as likely to have attempted suicide compared to their heterosexual peers and 40% of transgender adults have attempted suicide in their lifetime, compared to 5% of the general population.
Social media has been a complex landscape for the LGBTQ community. Free platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram has provided access to openly watch others, find friends, and connect with other LGBTQ members, strengthening the sense of community. For LGBTQ youth, the internet can be a refuge, a place to feel less alone, and may normalize their sexual orientation or gender identity by seeing others that look like them and use the same identifying labels. Unfortunately, these platforms also create a space for cyber bullying and harassment.
The good news is that there are a number of agencies and resources committed to helping fight the stigma that exists against the LGBTQ+ community, and who exist to help support behavioral health services and suicide prevention. Confronting barriers and mental health challenges with an LGBTQ-inclusive approach in mental health and/or addiction treatment can lead to better outcomes, and ultimately make recovery from depression, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, or other mental health challenges possible. It may take time to find a match in a professional but thanks to the Mental Health Levy passed in 2017, Washington County has expanded options for services! If you or someone you know is struggling with LGBTQ+ identity, mental health disorders, or substance use disorders, please reach out for help.
Local Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder Treatment Providers
- Life and Purpose Behavioral Health (Marietta, Belpre, & Beverly, OH): 740-376-0930
- Walk-In Hours Monday through Friday 8AM-1PM
- Rigel Recovery Services (Reno, OH): 740-371-5160
- Hopewell Health Center (Belpre, OH): 740-423-8095
- Call Mondays & Wednesdays between 8AM-11AM for available Walk-In Hours
- Integrated Services for Behavioral Health (Marietta, OH): 1-800-321-8293
Crisis Resources to save in your cell phone:
- Trevor Line (LGBTQ) call 1-866-488-7386 or Text START: 867678
- Youthline call 1-877-968-8491 or Text TEEN2TEEN: 839863
- 24-Hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
- Crisis Text Line: text “4Hope” to 741741 (24/7, Free & Confidential)
Marietta Municipal Court gains support of the Washington County Behavioral Health Board for Proposed Mental Health Court
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ohio –
The Washington County Behavioral Health Board (WCBHB) passed a motion at the April 22nd Board meeting to support the Marietta Municipal Court’s proposed Mental Health docket utilizing levy funds. David Browne, Executive Director of the WCBHB, states “We see the mental health court as a perfect use of levy funds entrusted to the Board”.
Mental health concerns have been on the minds of many since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. For Marietta Municipal Court Judge Janet Welch, it has been a concern in her court for many years. Judge Welch has had a special interest in mental health and linking mentally ill offenders to treatment since she began her career as a judge in 2006.
The Washington County Behavioral Health Board has been collaborating with community partners and sponsoring Crisis Intervention Training for law enforcement for the past six years. As a result approximately 110 law enforcement officers and dispatchers have received focused training on recognition of severe mental illness and the many ways it presents, and procedures designed to de-escalate a volatile situation. Judge Welch has participated in the design and delivery of the training curriculum since its inception in Washington County. Crisis Intervention Training, while helpful with emergency response, cannot address the long term need of those individuals who cycle in and out of the criminal justice system, and who bear the burden of untreated and severe mental illness. The Mental Health Court would complement the training as a next step for offenders being addressed in the criminal justice system.
Eric Fowler, WCBHB Board President, shares “It is going to take continued collaboration between the courts, law enforcement, and local mental health treatment for the court to be a success. The court will have to trust the clinical recommendations of the mental health treatment provider, and more importantly, the court and probation staff will have to gain the trust and confidence of the court participants”.
The designated levy funding will support the first full year of the proposed Mental Health Court, including increased case management, probation, transportation, and effective delivery of recommended treatment and wraparound services. During the first year, the Marietta Municipal Court will apply for their certification as a Mental Health Court specialized docket. The Court must meet specific requirements including evidenced based practices in order to be certified by the Ohio Supreme Court. Certification increases resources to the court for participants’ treatment and program management.
Mental Health Courts focus on the treatment and rehabilitation of offenders with a history of severe and persistent mental illnesses who bear an increased risk of criminal recidivism. Traditional jail settings are generally not equipped to provide the level of treatment required by those with severe and persistent mental illness. To address mentally ill offenders and the challenges of the jail setting, courts have established special “dockets” which are programs within a court designed specifically for mentally ill offenders, including individuals with addiction diagnoses. Moving from incarceration to a treatment-based setting frees up needed and expensive jail beds and supports individuals’ progress towards healthy re-entry to the community.
According to the DSM-5, severe and persistent mental illness is defined as a group of mental health disorders including schizophrenia-spectrum, schizoaffective, severe bipolar, and severe major depression with psychosis. Co-occurring substance use disorder may also present, but the mental health diagnosis must be the primary cause of involvement with the justice system. Most individuals with severe mental illness live quietly and productively in our community without contact with law enforcement, however, there are repeat offenders that require structured support for rehabilitation and stabilization. Each potential court participant will have a full clinical evaluation and must consent to participate.
Amy Bean, Assistant Marietta City Law Director, adds “As the Domestic Violence Prosecutor, there are a lot of cases where untreated mental illness is a strong contributing factor to the criminal offense. It is my hope that with the specialized docket, case management, mental health treatment, and wraparound services, it will allow them to stay in the community and out of the criminal justice system”.
The Washington County Behavioral Health Board and the Marietta Municipal Court are thrilled for the opportunity of continued collaboration and ability provide this much needed program to community members.
Learn MoreBehavioral Health Matters Scholarship Announcement
Apply today! Application deadline for 2021 scholarships is May 31, 2021!
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ohio –
The Washington County Behavioral Health Board is thrilled to announce that we are offering (3) individual academic scholarships for $2,500.00 per award.
The Washington County Behavioral Health Board supports local workforce development in the area of behavioral health, including the fields of social work and counseling. The Behavioral Health Matters scholarship provides support to students who are pursuing an associate, bachelors, or master’s degree in the behavioral health field.
Applications for the scholarship will be made available from April 1st through May 31st, 2021.
Application Criteria for the scholarship includes:
- Application
- Resume
- One letter of recommendation
- Proof of enrollment to an accredited education institution
- One-page essay about educational and career goals
- Must be a resident of Washington County
- Must be pursuing an associates, bachelors, or master’s degree in behavioral health
Preference will be given to applicants pursuing their educational goals at a local Washington County Educational Institution.
For access to the application, please visit www.wcbhb.org/behavioral-health-matters-scholarship/
To apply, submit all application criteria to info@wcbhb.org by May 31, 2021. Award notifications will be made in June, 2021.
We look forward to receiving applications and providing this opportunity to those interested in the field of behavioral health.
For questions, call the Board staff at 740-374-6990.
Learn MoreUplifting Mental Health and Wellness – Public Health Week
This article was featured in the Marietta Times on April 3rd, 2021, written in collaboration with the Marietta/Belpre Health Department & the Washington County Health Department.
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ohio –
Public health week is celebrated April 5th through April 11th, 2021
In the midst of the most challenging public health crisis of our lifetimes, it’s more important than ever to celebrate public health. Saturday April 10th of public health week is dedicated to uplifting mental health and wellness. We want this article to celebrate the partnership between the Marietta/Belpre Health Department, the Washington County Health Department, and the Washington County Behavioral Health Board.
Mental health is a critical component of public health
Strong mental health isn’t just the absence of mental health problems. Being mentally or emotionally healthy is much more than being free of depression, anxiety, or other psychological issues. Rather than the absence of mental illness, mental health refers to the presence of positive characteristics.
People who are mentally healthy have:
- A sense of contentment.
- A zest for living and the ability to laugh and have fun.
- The ability to deal with stress and bounce back from adversity.
- A sense of meaning and purpose, in both their activities and their relationships.
- The flexibility to learn new skills and adapt to change.
- A balance between work and play, rest and activity, etc.
- The ability to build and maintain fulfilling relationships.
- Self-confidence and high self-esteem.
In the United States, mental illness is one of the most common health conditions. In a year, one in five Americans will experience mental illness. Approximately 50% percent of mental illness begins by the age of 14, and 75% begins by the age of 24. Certain childhood risk factors, including growing up in poverty or experiencing abuse, can be an indicator for mental illness later in life.
The relationship between resilience and mental health
Having solid mental health doesn’t mean that you never go through bad times or experience emotional problems. We all go through disappointments, loss, and change. And while these are normal parts of life, they can still cause sadness, anxiety, and stress. But just as physically healthy people are better able to bounce back from illness or injury, people with strong mental health are better able to bounce back from adversity, trauma, and stress. This ability is called resilience.
People who are emotionally and mentally resilient have the tools for coping with difficult situations and maintaining a positive outlook. They remain focused, flexible, and productive, in bad times as well as good. Their resilience also makes them less afraid of new experiences or an uncertain future. Even when they don’t immediately know how a problem will get resolved, they are hopeful that a solution will eventually be found.
Advocacy for mental health is crucial, especially in the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic can affect mental health in many ways, including through loss of a loved one, isolation due to physical distancing mandates, exposure to the virus and loss of income. Practicing strategies like being physically active, getting at least eight hours of sleep each night, eating a well-balanced diet, practicing gratitude, participating in activities you enjoy, developing coping skills, meditating and connecting with others can improve mental health.
Reach out if you need help
If you, or someone you know, is in need of mental health and/or addiction services, please contact one of our local service providers below:
- Life and Purpose Behavioral Health (Marietta, Belpre, & Beverly, OH): 740-376-0930
- Walk-In Hours Monday through Friday 8AM-1PM
- Rigel Recovery Services (Reno, OH): 740-371-5160
- Hopewell Health Center (Belpre, OH): 740-423-8095
- Call Mondays & Wednesdays between 8AM-11AM for available Walk-In Hours
- Integrated Services for Behavioral Health (Marietta, OH): 1-800-321-8293
For immediate assistance, please contact one of the crisis lines below:
- Crisis Text Line: text “4Hope” to 741741
- 24-Hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
For more information, resources, and services concerning Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health, please visit our website, wcbhb.org and check out the Recovery is Beautiful Facebook page.
Learn MoreCommunity Mental Health Panel
Community Mental Health Panel at the Appalachian Ohio Mental Health & Housing Conference on October 7, 2019 that Executive Director, David Browne attended.
ATHENS,
Ohio – Of the many difficult stories about mental health issues that
emerged at Monday’s Appalachian Ohio Mental Health & Housing
Conference, Robin Harris’ description of a traumatized Purple Heart
winner hit the hardest.
Harris,
executive director of Gallia, Jackson & Meigs Alcohol, Drug
Addiction and Mental Health Board, described a young Iraq war Marine
veteran who was hit with enemy gunfire during his service in Fallujah,
Irag, The ambush severely injured him and killed his best friend. He
returned home to Meigs County with a Purple Heart, a military award
given to those injured in battle, and wartime trauma buried deep in his
soul.
Harris said the young man couldn’t get the
long-treatment he needed for trauma, was in and out of rehabilitation
for addiction to painkillers, and eventually turned to crime and ended
up in prison.
“His mother told me, “I watched my son go off the prison with his Purple Heart sitting on my mantle,’” Harris said.
The
failure of the system to treat the young man “is a picture of where we
are today with our mental health system and veterans. It breaks my
heart,” Harris said.
There were other troubling stories: a
young person with mental illness who waited in emergency room care for a
week before getting treatment; people driving hours to get mental
health care because of closed rural hospitals; a critical lack of
housing for people in recovery, and waves of suicides rippling across
Appalachian Ohio.
But there were positive signs, too,
including $37 million from Gov. Mike DeWine’s administration for mental
health crisis services, expanded specialty court dockets, greater
cooperation between state and local agencies, a proposed new mental
health crisis center in southern Ohio, more housing opportunities, and
the first statewide suicide prevention plan.
The conference
sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness Ohio, Ohio
University and the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation
attracted 200 people, many of them mental health professionals, for
discussions on mental health treatment, housing, transportation and
related issues.
A keynote speaker was Douglas O’Brien,
regional Midwest director for the U.S Department of Health & Human
Services. He said the federal government is not typically good at
long-range planning, instead focusing on budget-to-budget funding. In
the meantime, he said, “Rural America is facing a crossroads, most
importantly in health care.”
O’Brien said federal officials are working to make a better connection between physical health and mental health care.
Former
Gov. Ted Strickland, moderator of two panel discussions at the event,
and a former prison psychologist, said locking up people with mental
illness is not a viable solution because mental health treatment is
scarce behind bars. “Prisons are an unforgiving environment for anyone,
but especially for anyone with mental illness.
“Not every
dysfunctional, angry person has a mental illness and that’s something
that needs to be stressed continually,” Strickland said.
Robin
Harris was one of six county mental health board directors on a panel
discussion of the progress and problems of mental health treatment at
the local level.
While all agreed more money is necessary,
David Browne of the Washington County Behavioral Health Board asked for
financial incentives to lure more mental health service providers to
underserved rural southern Ohio. Otherwise, waits of multiple weeks for
what should be emergency services will continue, he said.
“When
a person makes a call for help they need to get it today,” Browne said.
“We need to get help today. We don’t need it in five years.”
All
the directors bemoaned the fact that people seeking crisis mental
health treatment in hospitals may wait 48 to 72 hours before a bed can
be found. For children, it can be even longer. Brown said one child had
to stay in the hospital emergency for a week before being placed.
Sue
Shultz of the Adams, Lawrence and Scioto Counties Board said services
are scarce in rural areas due to a lack of hospitals. “People drive an
hour to an hour and a half from Adams County to get services,” she said.
Often transportation is a problem.
An afternoon panel
focused on community health and housing. Dr. Tiffany Inglis, director of
Medical Operations for Anthem, said the health care organization has
recognized that housing is critical to building bridges to community
mental health. “Mental health is not a short-term fix,” she said.
Anthem
provided $200,000 to help fund the Adam-Amanda Mental Health
Rehabilitation Center, a 16-bed crisis stabilization and hospital
step-down treatment facility in Athens. NAMI Ohio spearheaded the effort
to establish the facility, the first of its kind in the state.
The
state has provided $118 million for overall housing programs through
the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
Housing
specialist Sally Luken, who works with NAMI Ohio, said many irons in
the fire for housing for people in mental health treatment, including
renovated and new-build apartments, large and small housing projects,
financial incentives to landlords, and help with access to utilities.
Tony
Coder, director of the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation, stressed the
need for suicide education and prevention programs. He said Ohio is
developing a suicide prevention plan, but is the last state to do so.
Appalachian Ohio is hard hit by suicide, with nine of the top 10
counties with the highest suicide rates per 100,000 population. Meigs
County topped the list at 21.5 per 100,000, followed by Jackson at 19.9
and Hocking County at 19.7.
“If you’re having thoughts of
suicide, reach out to somebody,” Coder said. “Suicide cannot be
discussed in private and it cannot be ignored.”
Women’s treatment center set to open on 676
With an opening date set for Monday, community-based women’s recovery from addiction has a new home in Washington County.
Sunday through Tuesday night three forums were hosted in Parkersburg, Belpre and Marietta inviting diverse groups to the table to discuss addiction, its causes, impact and potential solutions.
On Ohio 676 just outside of Marietta city limits sits the former Hannah’s House, a women’s respite care facility, now to be utilized by Land of Goshen Treatment Center, Inc. which has Medicaid-paid treatment facilities in Ironton and Malta.
The facility used to house 15 women under Hannah’s House, according to Connie Strahler, a former employee who toured the building Friday.
“They’ve painted a lot, and the security cameras are new,” noted Strahler as she toured the renovated bedrooms and counseling rooms last week.
Now, the Marietta treatment center will continue the faith-based residential treatment program built through Land of Goshen locally, beginning with clients post-detox.
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