COSHOCTON − Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been more focus on mental health and behavioral health in Coshocton County and beyond.
More people realize the importance of having the mind as fit as the body, but there can often be limitations to services in a rural community like Coshocton. Recently, the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board held a behavioral health roundtable in Coshocton with those who work in the field and other local stakeholders. The agency serves Coshocton, Guernsey, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble and Perry counties.
Guiding the discussion was a community needs assessment conducted by Ohio University and an informal survey of those attending the roundtable. From there strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats were suggested and discussed. Committees were formed around an action plan to start working on various important components going forward.
Misty Cromwell, executive director for MHRS, said the agency frequently gets calls from individuals in need of mental and behavioral health in the community. The roundtable was the first step in identifying the issues and then figuring out how to best tackle them.
Misty Cromwell, executive director of Mental Health and Recovery Services, writes down perceived strengths of the local area where it comes to mental and behavioral health as board member Jamie McGrew surveys the attendees.
Cromwell said the top priorities in the OU assessment and the local survey matched, which shows there’s a clear idea of areas to focus on in the county.
“The solutions for this community will not be developed outside this community. Individuals from all sectors are represented (at the roundtable) and they have a voice into identifying what the concerns are and developing what the plans are and then working toward how we implement them in this community.”
Top Five Priorities per Survey
● Treatment for mental illness● Services for youth and families● Increasing access to behavioral health care● Treatment for substance use● Reducing the number of overdoses
Top Five Barriers per Survey
● Long wait times for an appointment● Lack of awareness of available services● Needed services are not available● Lack of evening and weekend hours● Inadequate or no insurance coverage
Some Perceived Strengths
●Large network of care with strong agency to agency, regional and public and private partnership collaboration● Strong sense of community and desire to create something lasting in the community● Proactive court systems, improvement to inpatient access and a willingness to think outside the box for treatment● Geography eliminates or minimizes some ‘big city’ issues while also decreasing bureaucracy and makes a lot of resources just a phone call away● High quality and professionalism of service provider employees with responsive community agencies and faith based support
Some Perceived Weaknesses
● Transportation to appointments● Lack of housing options● Lack of weekend and evening hours for service providers● Workforce issues and geography limiting resources and expansion of workforce● Lack of intensive services for youth and families, inadequate services for the developmentally disabled and knowledge on properly serving veterans● Lack of understanding by the public on available services, the distinction between mental health and addiction issues and client and consumer feedback on a consistent basis
About 50 local stakeholders and agency representatives were in attendance at a behavioral health roundtable held at the Coshocton County Commissioners Community Room. The goal was to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to providing care and forming an action plan.
Action Plan Items
● Evening and weekend access to services● Educating the community on resources● Expansion of the re-entry program for incarcerated individuals● Forming a coalition of behavioral health agencies
Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with more than 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at @llhayhurst.
This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Behavioral health roundtable seeks to identify and address problems
