Trending
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County officials have taken another step toward improving mental health care within its criminal justice system.
Mahoning County Commissioners at their meeting Thursday approved the allocation of $60,000 in opioid settlement funds to the Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board to support the hiring of a forensic mental health navigator.
The MHRB employee will be stationed at the Mahoning County Justice Center and will serve as a liaison between the jail, inmates and the county court system.
The navigator position has been in discussion since earlier this year, when the Mental Health and Recovery Board and professionals from Gov. Mike DeWine's office conducted a sequential mapping seminar to identify strengths and weaknesses in the jail's handling of inmates with mental health issues.
"The navigator was discovered as a major void that we had, which is going to help the individuals inside our jail and the court system so judges know what's going on with them," Chief Deputy Sheriff William Cappabianca said. "A lot of times the judges don't know how sick they are. It's not all about getting 60 days in jail or 120 days in jail, but what resources would be best for this person so they no longer return to jail."
While the position is typically funded through the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, MHRB Executive Director Duane Piccirilli said the county will fund the navigator because the position will be dedicated exclusively to Mahoning County.
"We're interviewing now, and I think we should have someone in a few weeks," Piccirilli said.
The $60,000 approved Thursday comes from Mahoning County's share of the more than $1 billion Ohio is expected to receive through nationwide opioid settlements with manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies. Mahoning County expects to receive at least $7.4 million over 15 years.
Piccirilli said the opioid settlement money will fund only a portion of the navigator program, while the Mental Health and Recovery Board will cover the remainder of the salary and operating costs.
"We do expect to renew that annually. We'll build it into our budget," Piccirilli said. "Eventually the opioid money will run out, but the board is committing to continuing the program indefinitely. It serves us, the sheriff and the county, so we need to keep it going."
Navigators help move high-need individuals to Ohio's regional psychiatric hospitals, most commonly for competency restoration. They also work with jails to connect inmates with outside resources while they remain incarcerated, coordinate referrals and transitions, and keep the courts informed of each person's progress.
Ohio operates six regional psychiatric hospitals. Mahoning County is served by Northcoast Behavioral Healthcare, based in Cuyahoga County, which operates eight facilities in Cuyahoga and Lake counties.
The position was a major topic of discussion during a March seminar county officials held with former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, who now leads Stepping Up: The Ohio Project.
Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene said the county and his office have made significant progress in expanding mental health services at the jail. When Greene took office, the jail relied on a psychiatrist who visited once a week, either in person or via Zoom, resulting in a backlog of 30 to 60 days. The jail now employs three full-time mental health professionals, and deputies and corrections officers regularly receive training to better manage inmates with mental health challenges.
Programs such as the Navigator Grant Program and Stepping Up: The Ohio Project give Greene confidence the county is moving in the right direction.
"The best way to do this is for everybody to collaborate and know what your resources are," Greene said. "Many times there are resources that are just undiscovered. We don't even know they're out there, and hopefully this will open some eyes for all of us."