Behavioral Health Professionals’ Week Summary

 

PRESS RELEASE:

 

October 4, 2022

 

Behavioral Health Professionals’ Week

Last month, the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities (OACBHA), the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), and Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Service (ADAMHS) Boards throughout Ohio promoted a Week of Appreciation for all mental health and addiction workers. Our local Lake County ADAMHS Board also included all first-responders to their Appreciation Week celebration. “We know first-responders may be the first ones finding, identifying, and referring people with symptoms of mental illness to our services. With their support and our other behavioral health providers, we are able to guide individuals to recovery,” stated ADAMHS Board Executive Director, Kim Fraser. “We wanted to thank and celebrate their hard work and commitment to bringing help and bringing hope to our community,” continued Kim. The Board along with an OhioMHAS state grant banded together in providing an ice cream treat as a token of thanks.

Each day, mental health and addiction services workers throughout Ohio dedicate their time and considerable expertise providing compassionate care and support to individuals, families, and communities throughout Ohio. They do this often challenging work in a time when demand is increasing and a shortage of workers is making it increasingly more difficult to offer timely, needed services to all.

Fast Facts:

• 21% of Ohioans live with a mental health or substance use disorder
• Nearly 2.4 Million Ohioans live in communities without enough behavioral health professionals
• A study completed in 2021 by OhioMHAS, the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, InnovateOhio, and Deloitte found that the demand for behavioral healthcare services in Ohio increased 353% from 2013-2019 while the workforce increased only 174% over the same time period.

The mental health and addiction services workers assess, diagnose, and treat individuals with mental illness and/or substance use disorders. The workforce includes social workers, counselors, peer supporters, case managers, prevention specialists, first responders, nurses, physicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, and many others working to support the recovery and wellbeing of individuals throughout Ohio. The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services is dedicated to improving the recruitment and retention of mental health and substance use disorder professionals in Ohio.

About the Lake County ADAMHS Board

The ADAMHS Board plans, funds, monitors, and evaluates services available to residents who are dealing with mental illness and or substance-use disorders. For more information, please visit HelpThatWorks.us

 

Photo owned by Lake ADAMHS and able to be used for media

Health professionals from Crossroads Health in Mentor have some ice cream