County Receives OCMA Award for Establishing Behavioral Health Task Force
DAYTON, OH (Mar. 1, 2024) – The Montgomery County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) received an Ohio City/County Management Association (OCMA) award for Innovation in Local Government on Thursday. The county was recognized for establishing the Montgomery County Behavioral Health Task Force.
The OCMA awards recognize communities and administrators for their outstanding contributions to professional local government management.
Ohio City/County Management Association (OCMA) award for Innovation in Local Government awarded to Montgomery County and the Montgomery County Behavioral Task Force.
"We are actively progressing in implementing the task force's recommendations," said Commission President Debbie Lieberman. "Receiving this recognition confirms that we are not fighting this battle alone, and this is the message we want to convey to our residents grappling with behavioral health issues. You are not alone; support is available, and a dedicated team is working to improve your care options."
The BCC devised the Behavioral Health Task Force in partnership with the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association (GDAHA) in January 2023. The task force is comprised of hospitals, independent providers, law enforcement officials and other stakeholders collaborating to uncover the best practices to get residents behavioral health support quickly.
“We are committed to finding solutions for the mental health crisis and are so thankful for our collaboration with our community partners like the GDAHA,” said Commissioner Judy Dodge. “We want to thank GDAHA for helping us pave the way for better access to treatment and services, ensuring a healthier and safer community for all.”
The task force has created a list of recommendations to enhance aspects such as oversight, access, data management, workforce and advocacy.
Plans already in motion include building a Behavioral Health Care Unit in the Montgomery County Jail to better address the growing needs of incarcerated individuals with behavioral health issues.
“By cutting 226 general population beds and adding 100 medical and behavioral health needs beds, we will have the space and resources to better support our inmates who are dealing with medical, mental health and addiction issues,” said Commissioner Carolyn Rice. “It’s important to note the behavioral health needs inside our jail reflect the challenges many of our residents face.”
The task force has also integrated the Probate Court's mental health docket into the region's criminal justice data system and identified the need to utilize a Safety Net Portal to better coordinate care across health systems, the justice system and behavioral health providers. The BCC is investing $2 million in opioid settlement funds for this portal.
The task force also recommends a workforce supply and demand study to outline the gaps, needs and opportunities for all partners serving the behavioral health continuum. They also recommended increased funding and support for local psychiatric residency programs, citing increased demand for services coinciding with high numbers of retirements in future years as the current provider population ages.
As the Behavioral Health Task Force progresses through its strategic plan to address short term and long-term behavioral health support needs, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will be established to monitor and report progress to accomplish the task force's recommendations.
To view the Behavioral Health Task Force full report, go to bit.ly/behavioralhealthtaskforce.