The Four County ADAMhs Board approved three contracts, one contract amendment and heard updates on projects that the board has provided some funding assistance for at its meeting on September 14.
Angelica Abels was introduced as the person who will become the board’s new director of finance and administration later this year when Diane Goyings retires. Abels had worked in the Defiance County auditor’s office for ten years.
It was also noted that the board is accepting applications for the CEO position that is currently held by Rob Giesige, who will be retiring at the end of December.
Interested applicants have until September 22 to submit a cover letter and resume to the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities, the organization coordinating the process of filling the upcoming opening.
More details about the process and the job description for the CEO position are posted on the ADAMhs Board website: www.fourcountyadamhs.com.
Contracts approved by the board include:
-A $90,000 Title XX contract with Quadco Rehabilitation Center for vocational and employment services.
-A $25,000 contract with Northwest Ohio Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for services provided in Defiance, Henry and Williams counties.
-A $35,598 contract to provide community transition services for offenders with mental health issues prior to their release from prison to assure continuity of care. Funding for the program is provided by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and is available for three local providers: OhioGuidestone, Maumee Valley Guidance Center and Recovery Services of Northwest Ohio.
-A contract amendment totaling $19,880 was also approved for Maumee Valley Guidance Center to provide residential placement for a client.
Board CEO Rob Giesige updated the board on two housing projects that the board is helping fund.
Recovery Services of Northwest Ohio continues to renovate a former veterinary office south of Wauseon on State Route 108 into an eight bed women’s recovery housing facility.
A New Home Development Company is building an additional supportive housing unit on the east side of Defiance next to Upton Heights, a housing unit that New Home opened in 2016. It is near the Kroger store.
Finally, money that the board had allocated last year for client transportation has been well used.
Giesige explained that a program using existing transportation services was developed for board funded clients who need rides to medical appointments, jobs, grocery shopping and more.
Arrangements were completed first with K and P Medical Transport in Defiance and then with Triangular Processing in Wauseon so ADAMhs-funded agencies can directly arrange transportation for clients instead of using agency employed case managers.
Giesige told the board that through early September 269 transports had been provided. As a result, case managers are now able to spend more time providing other types of assistance and support that their clients need.
