YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board announced it will fund a new position in the county that will focus on helping the homeless populations with possible opioid and stimulant use disorders.

The position will be funded for two years and the person will work for the Catholic Charities Regional Agency. The MHRB gets funding from Ohio PATH, Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness, and will use that money to fund the new position.

There are 2.5 positions funded in Mahoning County with the help of PATH that focus on homeless people with mental health or substance use disorders. PATH is a formula grant administered by the Center for Mental Health Services, a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Duane Piccurilli, the the director of MHRB, said the position will help to be the first line of defense for those who are homeless and struggling with mental health or substance use disorders. He said the homeless person do not have to have an existing mental health or addiction diagnosis to get services.

The person who assumes the new position also will work closely with the Youngstown Health Department at its newly established Youngstown Health Improvement Zone neighborhood offices. Piccurilli said by going to these zones, the person will be able to interact with people who may benefit from services.

Also at its meeting on Monday, the MHRB discussed a grant it applied for through the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation. The grant would provide funding to promote the Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS) Team through public service announcements.

Because the funding is provided by the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation, the LOSS Team must be the focus, but MHRB will also work to promote its Drug Overdose Survivor Support (DOSS) Team. Both are peer outreach programs.

In Mahoning County in 2022, there were 44 suicides — three more than in 2021. Last year, a majority were middle age and older men. Six were veterans. MHRB plans to begin an outreach campaign targeting these individuals soon, because Piccurilli said the spring is the time of year when many suicides occur.

The board also reminded the public that it will be sponsoring an ethics and supervision training on March 15. All Mahoning County agencies contracting with MHRB, Mahoning County first responders and all Mahoning County employees can join the six-hour training for $25. For more information, contact the board office at 330-746-2959.