The Four County ADAMhs Board approved a $60,000 allocation to extend a transportation contract that provides clients served by ADAMhs-funded agencies with rides to medical appointments, grocery shopping and other needs through the end of the current year.
Approved at the board’s January 11 meeting, the initial agreement with Triangular Processing was approved last year.
Triangular Processing works with companies such as K & P Transport and the Henry County Transportation Network that already have rider programs in place throughout the four county area. Some 900 rides were provided during the first nine months that it was in operation. Board CEO Tonie Long explained that additional funding along with a matching grant will be sought for the fiscal year starting July 1.
In other action, the board approved a contract amendment for CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, a company that annually completes financial and compliance audits of agencies that receive funding from the ADAMhs Board.
The amendment authorizes an additional $33,475 to perform an additional audit of an ADAMhs-funded agency.
The board also approved a routine action: the issuance of 120-day notices to all current ADAMhs Board contract agencies. The notices are required by state law if there is any chance that ADAMhs Board funding from the state or specific grants could be reduced that would cause a subsequent reduction in the board’s service contracts.
Bethany Shirkey, the board’s quality improvement director, reported that Ohio GuideStones’ walk-in clinic has done an exceptional job reducing the time needed for clients to access services with that agency.
The walk-in clinic, which opened last September, allows new clients to come to the agency’s Napoleon office without an appointment. Prior to the clinic, clients waited an average of 12 days for their initial assessment. Now, the average wait is roughly three days.
Long reported that an agreement to provide cost-effective crisis stabilization beds has been concluded with Unison Behavioral Health, a regional behavioral health provider located in Wood County.
Later this month, representatives from Unison will hold sessions with four county providers to explain how they can access those beds for mental health clients who need short term inpatient support, but who are not high risk for harm to themselves or others.
According to Long, the Four County ADAMhs Board is working with another regional behavioral healthcare provider in Bowling Green to provide similar crisis stabilization services for four county youth. However, those details have not been finalized.
