LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — Nearly three dozen students from across the region spent the night at Westgate Entertainment Center to gain a better under…
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Jones said, “After about 30 years of just working around young people, I started listening to them, and I realized that they were walking around in torment and trauma silently, and they wouldn't say anything or share. But after listening to their stories, they needed help, and they really didn't know how to navigate their mental health journey.”
Amy Miller, site director at the Family Resource Center, said, “The hardest part is just walking through the front door. Once you walk through the front door, we will help you with the paperwork to get you enrolled. You’ll go through what's called a diagnostic assessment, and they will match you up with the counselor that is right for your needs, plus the case management.”
Dr. Portia Smith, executive director of BBBS of West Central Ohio, said, “Majority of the data will go to national Big Brothers, Big Sisters, and I'm guessing that they're going to use that to also see how they can better service their agencies. But we also noticed that this is an area that we would like to really hone in on and see how we can do much better, because we have kiddos in our programs that are probably going through mental health situations, and we may not be as equipped as we thought we were.”
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Allen, Auglaize, and Hardin Counties is getting the message out that there is hope for people who are dealing with issues like depression, anxiety, or PTSD.
Students at Lima’s Catholic schools are learning about the power of both positive and negative addictions during Positive Addiction Week.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine held a press conference at Hopewell Elementary School in Dublin today to lay out plans for the statewide expansion of Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS).
Kim Bader and her family founded the Dear Nicolas Foundation in honor of her son, Nicolas, to advocate for mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
Local nonprofits had the opportunity to pitch their programs in hopes of securing grant funding, with this year’s focus on youth mental health. Activate Allen County and the Mental Health Board of Allen, Auglaize, and Hardin counties, along with several sponsors, provided funding for the top three organizations, which were selected by audience members.