Paint Valley Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health (ADAMH) Board Executive Director Melanie Swisher spoke at a meeting of the Highland County Prevention and Recovery Coalition on Wednesday about current activities within her organization.

She said there is a mobile team for youth services currently available, plans to build a new crisis center, and a campaign is underway to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and substance use disorders.

“There is a mobile team for youth that is actually currently working in Highland County,” said Swisher.

The program, called Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS), is available to help people under 21 who are experiencing significant behavioral or emotional distress. It is currently available in several Ohio counties and will continue to grow across the state.

Through MRSS, a team of trained behavioral health professionals can deliver services to families in person, at home, at school, at a local emergency room or another location in the community.

To contact MRSS, call the Statewide Youth MRSS Call Line at 1-888-418-MRSS (6777).

Swisher said the Paint Valley ADAMH Board is in the process of obtaining land for a 24-hour crisis facility that will be centrally located within the five counties served by the board. The board is currently looking at land in Ross County.

The facility will serve three primary services: mobile crisis teams, a 23-hour observation unit, and a crisis stabilization unit.

The facility will be the hub for mobile crisis teams that will be able to meet a person where they are and can be called upon by law enforcement if the need arises. The team will be able to rapidly respond and stabilize individuals who are experiencing a behavioral health crisis.

A 23-hour observation unit within the crisis facility will be an eight-chair unit to provide assessment, treatment and linkage to additional services such as a referral to an inpatient psychiatric facility. Such units have been shown to reduce emergency department boarding time and the need for inpatient psychiatric hospitalization.

The crisis facility will also house an eight-bed crisis stabilization unit to provide intensive support and care in a structured environment.

Swisher said the Paint Valley ADAMH Board recently announced the “We Do Recover” anti-stigma campaign to elevate the voices of community members who are living in recovery from mental health and/or substance use disorders.

The campaign is kicking off with billboards in Fayette, Highland, Pickaway, Pike and Ross counties. There will also be videos, social media posts, and town hall meetings.

“People are more than their diagnosis,” said Swisher. “The brave, strong human beings living in recovery are making a positive difference in our community every single day.”

Reach John Hackley at 937-402-2571.