Social Issues
Friday, November 20, 2015
Ohio county jails get mental illness-addiction grants
The state hopes the fund will stimulate more local collaboration
by WKSU's TIM RUDELL |
Reporter
Tim Rudell | | |
 | | Mahoning County Justice Center | | Courtesy of Mahoning County |
The front-line of mental-illness and addiction treatment can often be a county jail. That’s why Ohio’s Mental Health and Addiction Services agency is distributing $3 million in grants among 38 counties to help them handle the challenge.
Spokesman Eric Wandersleben says the money is for training, to help provide counselors and for supplies and medications. All of which, he says, can help reduce the human toll from mental-illness and addiction, while holding down the costs of running the jails. |
LISTEN: Jails and mental illnessOther options:  MP3 Download (0:14)
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“These folks with untreated mental illness and substance-abuse disorders, they tend to stay longer in jail. And then they’re often at higher risk of re-arrest than individuals that don’t have those illnesses.”
Mahoning County was the kick-off county for the grants and received $150,000. Other northeast Ohio counties getting grants include Columbiana, Portage, Medina, Ashland, Lake and Ashtabula. |
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