ADAMHS levy renewal passes

FINDLAY — Hancock County voters have approved a renewal levy for the Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services. Unofficial election results Tuesday night showed 18,957 votes in favor of the levy and 9,622 votes against. The five-year renewal levy is at 1.3 mills, or approximately $30 annually per $100,000 of assessed value. ADAMHS is the local mental health and substance use services planning authority for Hancock County. Levy dollars are allocated by a local board. The board receives funding from multiple sources. But while federal grants and most state funds are designated for specific purposes, the levy money is flexible and can either supplement state or federal funding or be used to identify other local needs the board has identified, ADAMHS Executive Director Zach Thomas told The Courier in September. And while grant revenue can fluctuate, the levy is also a more stable funding source, bringing in about $3 million annually. State funding is about $2 million, making the levy roughly 60% of ADAMHS' funding. State funding is also primarily directed toward treatment and crisis services, Thomas said. This means most funding for prevention and recovery support comes from the levy. Along with support for youth, the levy funds also help support community wellbeing through long-term supportive housing and recovery housing, family wellness coaching and other recovery support and education. They also help fill the gaps in funding in mental health and substance use treatment and peer support services.