Volunteers sought to express mental health levy’s need
By Kate York, kyork@mariettatimes.comFact Box
To get involved
374-6990 or ron_rees@wcmhar.org
The Washington County Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Board is asking for community support for its mental healthy levy before ballots are even printed - with a little compassion the only requirement for volunteers.
It will be the second attempt this year to pass the 1-mill, five-year levy to fund services for children, and board director Ron Rees said too many people weren't aware of the effort in March.
Election day is Nov. 4.
"We're trying to do something new and solicit some supporters and get more people involved," Rees said. "We're looking for people to talk to people they already know about the levy. We're not asking volunteers to talk to strangers."
Supporters don't need to be experts on the levy or the services to get involved but simply understand that there's a need, Rees said. The board will provide any information needed.
"I think there is support out there," he said. "We had a surprising number of people come to us after the last election that didn't know about the levy and wanted to help."
One hundred percent of the $1 million the levy would generate each year would fund services for children that the board isn't able to provide now.
The demand for Medicaid services has tripled in the past few years, and the mental health board is mandated to provide the match for those services, meaning there is little money left for non-Medicaid services.
"For working families, there's just not much coverage," Rees said. "And (a levy) is the only legal way we have to raise more money."
Seventy-four of Ohio's 88 counties already have levies to provide money for mental health services.
"It's a huge resource that's used statewide but not here," Rees said. "Asking for just the funding for services for children is a compromise we're making with the community, because we know people have a limited amount of support they can give."
The owner of a $100,000 home would pay $30.63 a year if the levy passes.
If it does pass in November, though, that money won't go as far as was expected during the last levy campaign, due to a $600,000 cut in state funding for the board and more cuts expected. That's more than 10 percent of the board's budget.
"Unfortunately we won't be able to do as many of the innovative things we had planned," Rees said.
The levy funds would help cover residential treatment for children and in-home intensive treatment, services not covered by Medicaid, and allow the board to serve more children each year.
Only 766 of the estimated 1,336 children who needed mental health services in Washington County were actually able to be helped by the board in 2007 and only 89 of the 492 children ages 12 to 17 received the treatment they needed for drug and alcohol issues, Rees said.
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teaglass97
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08-31-08 11:41 AM
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I just didn't feel like arguing that day. You want me to go back and comment on that article some more. Would it make you happy?
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WashCtyRes
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08-31-08 9:42 AM
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Teaglass, I was referring to the acerace post to YOU. How did you let that one go by? Normally you have an argument or vituperative comment to nearly anyone commenting on your less-than-lucid moments.
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teaglass97
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08-31-08 2:29 AM
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WashCtyRes--If YOU would of carefully read that "other" article, you would have noticed by my comment, I was referring to the person who posted about "emotional problems." I believe it was tamytam33. Maybe you should go back and re-read it since it appears I'm not "close-minded" at all, you just can't read.
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Bittersweet
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08-30-08 5:42 PM
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Well here we are a few dedicated Marietta residence ripping into action about Mental Health issues in Marietta. Wow...Marietta is looking for volunteers to spread the word! Try running an add in the piece of **** Rag`ister...their BIG TIME wanna be reporters will manipulate their readers into thinking it's ok. Maybe contact deputy dog (Barney Five) Muckus....he will need to know someone is trying to "solicite" funds in his town. Maybe the wanna be mayor could hold a fund raiser with selling his music....oh wait these mental health people need more then a dollar in change.
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WashCtyRes
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08-30-08 5:06 PM
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Teaglass, that's quite a turnaround from your last post on this issue (article dated 8.13.08 - your post 8.15.08). Can it be that someone actually helped you to see your own close mindedness re: lack of dicipline? Congrats!
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teaglass97
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08-30-08 4:35 PM
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I agree. The close-mindedness of this area is it's downfall. Until people realize how behind the times (the world, not this paper) they really are, this area will continue to suffer economic loss and population loss. The whole reason I moved was to go to college and for better opportunities, this is all this levy is asking for. Some children don't have the same priviledge as other's. Until we can get along with each other, a "new" President will never make a difference.
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beddyrn
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08-30-08 11:30 AM
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Hey Tea: or 6 packs of smokes -- or 6 gal of gas -- or 5 trips to McDonalds -- can you think of anymore? I think people just don't understand what a small price it is!
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beddyrn
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08-30-08 11:26 AM
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As the parent of a child on numerous medications and a special diet (most, not covered by insurance) I understand the hardship. Yet, I would be more than willing to give up the $30 to help prevent another Columbine, VA Tech, Jeffery Dahmer, Ted Bundy, or for goodness sake, Andrea Yates. If $30 could have prevented just one of these tragidies, it would have been worth it.
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teaglass97
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08-30-08 11:25 AM
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Cut out 8 Stoked Mocha's for 3.75 a month and you've paid your due. How hard is that.
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beddyrn
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08-30-08 11:18 AM
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This is such a bad (closed-minded) area to find support for mental health. I think people do not realize if we could get help for these kids when they are young, we would not have to support them later in life when they present to the E/D for numerous failed suicide attempts, or when they cannot hold down a job because they are so mentally unstable. "The owner of a $100,000 home would pay $30.63 a year if the levy passes." This is a very small price to pay, compared to keeping a self-inflicted gunshot wound patient alive on artificial life support. I am sure EVERYONE has been "touched" by mental illness at one time or another, either themselves or someone they love/care about. I do feel for those who have to choose between rent or medication, but, in most cases, there is some short of help for that hardship as well. If nothing else, most doctors’ offices will GIVE free samples to patients who cannot afford medication.
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wildflower
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08-30-08 10:16 AM
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Sorry i vote no! I already support to many people paying for there needs with my taxes, Any more taxes on my property, I will not be able to buy the medicine my daughter needs to stay alive and I don't see anyone helping me with her needs. I sometimes go without my blood pressure medicine so she can have her medicine. No help for us who worked for what we need.
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