Buckeye Reporter

Mercy Health is to receive a $198,033 grant from the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment to help fund a program for mental health and substance abuse training for EMS professionals in rural areas across Northwest Ohio, Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) said in an Aug. 30 press release.

“In Congress, I have long championed availability and expansion of mental health services and have advocated for robust funding while serving on the House Appropriations Committee," Rep. Kaptur said in announcing the grant. "This award to Mercy Health for substance training for emergency medical services in rural areas will assist Northwest Ohio communities that have been medically underserved for far too long.”

“We know access to care close to home significantly impacts health outcomes for patients, and this is especially true in our rural communities. As behavioral health care needs and substance use disorders grow in northwest Ohio, it is essential that our emergency response teams have the latest training and resources at their fingertips to best care for patients,” said Bob Baxter, President of Mercy Health – Toledo, in the Kaptur press release. “This grant will be instrumental in expanding training opportunities for our EMS teams as they respond to behavioral health and substance use disorder calls in our rural communities.”

Under the Biden administration, HHS has granted over $88 million through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to address the nation's behavioral health challenges, an HHS press release said.

The SAMHSA grants cover a wide range of needs, including support for school-based mental health programs (such as Project AWARE) and expanding access to evidence-based treatments for substance use disorders (SUD), HHS said. This initiative aligns with the administration's focus on combating the mental health crisis, overdose epidemic, and youth mental health issues as outlined in President Biden's Unity Agenda and contributes to the National Drug Control Strategy.

“This funding will help states and territories build a stronger public mental health system to assist people in times of crisis and as they pursue long-term recovery,” Dr. Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and leader of SAMHSA, said in the HHS news release. “SAMHSA is committed to ensuring that people across the country have access to mental health services.”

"Drug abuse statistics can provide a window into addiction in Ohio. It is a pressing concern, but there is hope for people struggling with substance abuse," a webpage of the Recovery Village of Columbus says. Ohio faces a significant problem with drug addiction, ranking fourth in the nation for drug overdose deaths, and SAMHSA reports higher-than-average rates of substance use disorders among Ohio residents compared to the national average. Although more individuals in Ohio are seeking treatment, there remains a considerable challenge in addressing this epidemic, the website says.