Mental Health and Recovery Board Seeks Levy Support
The Mental Health and Recovery Board of Belmont, Harrison and Monroe counties wants to keep mental health services available for Belmont County residents. The agency is seeking the public’s support on a renewal levy.
The board will have a 1.25-mill renewal levy on the ballot for the Nov. 4 election. The measure involves no new taxes, as it renews an existing levy.
“This is simply a renewal. It was put in place and voted on 10 years ago,” executive director Lisa Ward said. “We use the funding from this to support several programs in our community here. We like to talk about stronger families, safer communities and a crisis response system.”
The board states that levy dollars for mental health services fund essential services across all stages of life, including residential placements and supports for multi-system youth, early childhood mental health intervention, child and youth behavioral interventions, school-based engagement services, employment services and more.
“Together, these services form a safety net that promotes mental wellness, stability and connection—cornerstones of strong families,” a board promotion said.
Ward said Belmont County has faced a difficult year, particularly with suicides. The suicide rate is expected to triple, she said, noting 16 suicides have taken place since January, compared to eight during the same period last year.
The board is working with Coleman Health Services to establish a crisis stabilization unit and mental health urgent care center on Traco Dr. near the Fox Run Center for Children and Adolescents east of St. Clairsville. The facility will include six beds for 24-hour care. It is expected to open by March 2026.
The board also supports the Educational Service Center, which provides prevention programs in 12 Belmont County schools, and is currently partnering with Barnesville Schools on a grant to hire additional intervention specialists.
Ward described the Belmont County CARES Program through the Cumberland Trail Fire Department as a wonderful program. The program’s staff are often first on the scene for crises or overdoses and serve as an extension of the county’s crisis response system.
Ward said the board also assists high-risk youth who can’t safely remain at home, partnering with Job and Family Services, the Developmental Disabilities Board and county courts to split the cost of residential care, which is expensive.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a low number of children in foster care in Belmont County. However, in the last two years, cases have increased to 30.
The board is also facing financial hits after a 13% funding cut from the State of Ohio, or $371,000, and more cuts may come in 2027.
The board promotion states that if the levy is not renewed, the current service levels will be reduced dramatically, limiting access to vital support for individuals and families in need.
“I wish I could work myself out of a job in the next year or two,” Ward said. “I would love to, but unfortunately, the need is probably more now than it was … So we appreciate your support for the levy and the board.”
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