Community Boards...Community BenefitsFor Ohio’s children and adults, mental

illness and substance abuse prevention, treatment, and recovery support services

are best determined close to home.

LoCaL resourCes Ohioans are committed to the notion of local control. That is why every year more and more communities willingly approve levies to support mental illness and substance abuse prevention, treatment, and support services. In 2011, more than $360 million in local funds were helping to pay for behavioral health services for neighbors, family members, and friends. Local levies are passed to provide funding for local needs.

Boards, through contracts with providers, ensure systems of care that include prevention, assessment, treatment, recovery supports, hospitalization, detoxification, housing, vocational and employment services, and more. Boards pull together the following community partners along with others to provide a full continuum of care:

• Consumers and Families • Education • Children and Family Services• Judicial System • Developmental Disabilities• Housing • Physical Health Services• Vocational Rehabilitation Services• Faith-Based Organizations• Local Business Partners

LoCaL needsFor Ohio’s children and adults, health needs are best determined close to home. The specific service gaps in Ohio’s communities can be measured at ground level, not from the distance and height of a statewide perspective. The diversity of Ohio means vast differences from one community to the next: major cities, medium-sized cities, Appalachian and rural counties, areas with large Amish and Mennonite populations, immigrants, areas with migrant workers, service industries, manufacturing, and farms.

Community Board Benefits◊ Locally determined needs◊ Care that matches local culture◊ Citizen-led and governed◊ Resources maximized through coordination and collaboration◊ Integrated local system of care◊ Consumer and family directed services

LoCaL soLutions to LoCaL issues

Community adamH BoardsOhio has only 53 county behavioral health authorities (Alcohol, Drug Addiction and/or Mental Health Boards) representing all 88 counties. Community leaders who volunteer to serve on local Governing Boards, include representatives from business, education, non-profits, faith-based, healthcare, law enforcement, and consumers.

foCused on Community serviCeAlcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Boards are empowered by Ohio statute to plan, develop, fund, manage, and evaluate community-based services. Since the Boards do not provide direct services to clients, there is no conflict of interest in local determinations of needs and service provider contracts. Through their local service systems, Ohio’s 53 Behavioral Health Boards accounted for services to more than 456,000 men, women, and children in SFY 2011.

aCCountaBiLityAccountability to the community taxpayers means that Boards must demonstrate quality care and effective use of local, state, and federal dollars. Local Governing Board meetings are open to the public and invite input from community members. In fact, all of Ohio’s Community Boards have consumers and family members on their Governing Boards. Local Boards realize that to be successful in meeting the needs of their constituencies, they must have local consumer and family participation in decision making.

a vested interest“Nobody cares for the individuals in a community like the volunteer members who serve on local Governing Boards. They have a vested interest in tailoring programs and services to help vulnerable citizens in a way that a cookie-cutter approach from Columbus never could accomplish.” ~ Larry Long, Executive Director, CCAO

TreaTmenT Works...PeoPle recoverTreaTmenT Works...PeoPle recover

ConsoLidation, CoLLaBoration, & CoordinationAlcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Boards have a history of consolidation, collaboration, and coordination.

• There are currently 53 ADAMH Boards serving all 88 counties, four fewer than in 2006

• 79% of Boards have agreements with other Boards for back-room functions

• Boards bring in over $30 million in private and public grant funding, often by coordinating with community partners

www.oacbha.org