MHRBUC Quarterly Newsletter

Dear Readers,

We are thrilled to welcome you to the inaugural issue of the MHRBUC newsletter! We are excited to embark on this journey with you. Our goal is to use this platform to keep you informed, inspired, and engaged with all the important work occurring within the behavioral health system in Union County.

We hope to publish an issue quarterly and plan to share information about exciting new projects we are working on, the innovative ideas and projects we’re exploring, and some incredible stories from our partners around the community. We hope that sharing this newsletter will give you a better understanding of our mission and how we’re making an impact.

We also hope that by talking openly about behavioral health issues, it will help break down the stigma surrounding these issues and encourage individuals to seek help and support when needed. By fostering a greater understanding in our community, we can help people feel safer discussing their struggles, promote early intervention and effective treatment as well as support overall well-being.

Your feedback is invaluable to us as we embark on this new chapter. We encourage you to reach out with your thoughts, suggestions, and stories. Together, we can make this newsletter a dynamic and engaging resource that reflects the vibrant energy of the Union County community.

Thank you for joining us on this exciting journey. Here’s to many more issues filled with insight, inspiration, and connection!

Warm regards,

Adam Negley

Executive Director

On August 29, 2024, Union County observed National Overdose Awareness Day with a series of impactful events. This annual campaign aims to foster support and recovery for individuals and families affected by substance use and overdose. In Marysville, over 100 attendees gathered to celebrate recovery and to learn about available treatment and support services. Later in the evening, a memorial event at the Avalon Theatre provided a space to honor and mourn those lost to overdose. Ten empty chairs were placed on the stage to represent the number of individuals lost to overdose in 2023. Friends and family members lit candles and shared stories and comfort to one another.

The efforts for both events were spearheaded by the Union County Health Department and Wings Support and Recovery, with financial support from MHRBUC. Annually, MHRBUC funding, derived from state and federal sources, supports a range of critical services, including prevention, crisis response, treatment, medication assistance, recovery support, anti-stigma campaigns, and naloxone access.

Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) is a coordinated effort among system partners to develop a process to connect individuals who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis to appropriate community resources and prevent incarceration or involvement in the criminal justice system.

Officer Findley along with her Therapy K9, Mercy, serves as the CIT Coordinator for the county. She oversees CIT data, provides ongoing training to officers, and conducts CIT follow-ups visits with individuals who recently experienced a crisis to help prevent future crisis interactions.

Officer Findley has been a police officer for 25 years. She has served in many settings including bike patrol, field training, the schools, and in the community as a women’s self-defense instructor, and therapy K9 handler. Officer Findley and Mercy have been working together in the Marysville community for over 3 years. She is excited to start a new opportunity in bringing comfort through a K9 unit in the CIT work!

In partnership with the Brookline Center for Community Mental Health, The Village Network, Fairbanks Local School District, and North Union Local School District, we are excited to implement two BRYT classrooms for the 2024-2025 school year at Fairbanks Elementary School and North Union Middle School. BRYT is an intensive intervention for students who have experienced a mental health disruption or are significantly struggling with regulation and behavioral health in school. This is a unique model with four core components including clinically informed support, academic coordination, comprehensive care coordination, and family engagement. This will be a tremendous support for students and families and will provide essential support for struggling students and families.

In partnership with the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio, Marysville Schools, Fairbanks Local Schools, and North Union Local Schools, the MHRBUC is funding four new positions to support students and families. Two Student Success Coordinators will be supporting students in Marysville Schools, a school social worker is supporting Fairbanks students, and a school social worker is supporting North Union students. They are working with students individually and in groups and supporting school staff and families.

Pictured L-R: Spencer Klautky, NULSD; Mackenzie Marquis, MEVSD; Janae Mulvaine, MEVSD; and Brianna Bailey, FLS.

In partnership with Fairbanks Elementary and Prevention Awareness Support Services, the MHRBUC is funding a full-time prevention specialist that is facilitating the evidence-based Character Strong curriculum to support a sense of belonging, improved well-being, and increased engagement for students. All elementary students will engage in Character Strong lessons weekly as a specials rotation. This curriculum has demonstrated improvement in student behavior, school safety, and supports student mental health.

On August 1, 2024, the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Union County hosted the Changemakers Conference at the Grain Wedding & Event Center in Marysville. The event brought together 139 participants representing over 28 organizations across Union County, all united in their commitment to exploring innovative strategies for mental health and trauma-informed care.

The conference featured two dynamic keynote speakers. Danny Bauer, of Better Leaders, Better Schools, captivated the audience with his energizing talk, "Unleashing Your Inner Ruckus Maker," inspiring attendees to embrace leadership and disruption for positive change. Sarah Buffie, of Soulbird Consulting, offered profound insights into trauma-responsive care, emphasizing the critical importance of understanding how trauma affects both the brain and body.

The Changemakers Conference was met with overwhelmingly positive feedback, with 100% of attendees reporting increased confidence in their ability to drive transformative change and foster inclusive, supportive relationships. This conference was truly a memorable and impactful event. It was a day filled with inspiring connections, valuable learning, and a reinvigorated passion for the vital work that Union County's champions for youth engage in every day. We extend our deepest gratitude to all attendees—their enthusiasm and commitment are the driving forces for positive change for the youth of our community.