Rob Giesige, the CEO of the Four County ADAMhs Board, explained the board’s role in assuring that behavioral health services are available for adults and youth who struggle with mental health and addiction problems — whether their families have insurance to cover the cost of care or not. He also stressed the growing need for mental health services for youth.

The Four County board, which has a seven-tenths mill renewal levy on the November 2 ballot, is one of 50 such boards serving Ohio’s counties.

The Four County board serves Defiance, Fulton, Henry and Williams counties and has a budget ranging from $6 to $8 million each year to pay contract agencies to provide services ranging from inpatient to outpatient care, counseling to medications, crisis care to on-going services, and treatment services to prevention/education services.

Last year, more than 10,000 persons received services from agencies that are funded by the ADAMhs Board. He noted a concerning increase in the number of youth who have received mental health crisis assessments in the last month. Eleven of the 25 persons screened were children or teenagers.

For those youth whose screens indicate an inpatient hospitalization is needed, Giesige explained that there are only 20 beds in the Toledo area to serve the 11 boards in northwest and west central Ohio.

Sometimes, the four county area has had to place youth who needed inpatient care in Columbus, Fort Wayne or Ann Arbor hospitals that serve youth.

The program was arranged by Mari Yoder, who also serves on the Four County ADAMhs board of directors.