COLUMBUS—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) has been awarded nearly $2.9 million in federal funding from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to help state officials meet the behavioral health needs of citizens affected by traumatic events such as natural disasters, mass shootings, and other large-scale man-made and terrorist events.
The funding will help OhioMHAS establish necessary statewide and local partnerships, policies, procedures, and protocols that create the systemic changes necessary to immediately deploy essential behavioral health supports and resources in every community across the state in the aftermath of tragedies. Plans include the development and enhancement of multidisciplinary mobile crisis teams that can be deployed rapidly 24/7, anywhere in the state for swift crisis support and response in providing care in the immediate days, weeks, and months after a traumatic event.
“Preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters and traumatic events is essential to the behavioral health of individuals and communities alike,” said OhioMHAS Director Lori Criss. “Although everyone reacts differently to disasters and most will return to normal, some of those affected may suffer from serious and prolonged mental or emotional distress. Finding support in a timely fashion will help people minimize negative outcomes.”
OhioMHAS has already proactively developed a Behavioral Health Emergency and Disaster Planning — Preparedness and Resource Manual for Fiscal Years 2023-24, which has a particular emphasis on addressing mental health crises among adults with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) and youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED).
Key objectives include creating a statewide oversight structure via the Ohio Mental Health Emergency Preparedness Team, establishing and/or enhancing the work of Regional Disaster Preparedness Teams, conducting a statewide gap analysis, optimizing Ohio’s 988 system, improving interagency coordination, enhancing response to school violence and mass shootings, increasing training and post-trauma treatment for first responders.
OhioMHAS works closely with the EMA, DPS, and other state agency and federal partners in all aspects of disaster planning and preparedness so that the impact on behavioral health and the identification of needed supports is part of the planning and deployment of Ohio’s disaster response plans.
“Strength and resiliency are part of Ohio’s DNA. While this work is state-led, our goal is to help local communities forge strategic partnerships and equip them with the tools they need so that when tragedies occur, they can respond quickly to meet the emotional and behavioral health needs of impacted residents,” said Director Criss.
This additional federal funding comes nearly a week after OhioMHAS was awarded a $209,402 federal Supplemental Emergency Response grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to help meet the immediate and ongoing behavioral health needs of the East Palestine community.