Mental health funding restored

FINDLAY — Just over 24 hours after learning that $1.5 million in federal mental health grants had been abruptly cut, the Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services received word that the funding had been reinstated. ADAMHS learned Tuesday evening that three local grants totaling around $1.5 million from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) had been terminated, effective at midnight Wednesday. They included a children's mental health grant of $1 million per year for the System of Care initiative for youth, managed primarily by Family Resource Center; $500,000 per year for Project HOME, which funds the low-barrier shelter; and $189,000 in funding to FOCUS Recovery and Wellness Center. City Mission, which operates the low-barrier shelter, reached out Wednesday to the community seeking support, whether in the form of other funding sources or advocacy. Without it, two leaders of the organization wrote, it would be impossible to keep the shelter open. "We believe deeply in this work," wrote Tyler Layton, program director, in an impact statement. "However, without this funding, we cannot sustain it alone." The local grants were part of an estimated 2,800 mental health and substance use grants nationwide totaling more than $2 billion that were terminated at midnight Wednesday, according to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. By Thursday morning, the National Council reported that funding had been restored nationwide. ADAMHS executive director Precia Stuby said she received an email from SAMHSA at 11:11 a.m. Thursday that the funding had been reinstated. A representative from the office of U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, had reached out via phone less than an hour earlier. She credited the public outcry with turning the decision around. Community members responded immediately. By early Thursday morning, the initial story posted Wednesday afternoon had been shared more than 200 times from The Courier's Facebook page, with people expressing anger and sadness and looking for ways to help. Similar reactions sprung up nationwide around these cuts, as some organizations across the U.S. began the process of laying people off, the Associated Press reported Thursday. The cuts would have amounted to about one-quarter of SAMHSA's overall budget. Kathryn Bausman, executive director of City Mission, wrote supporters Thursday to thank them for their support. "Because of you, we were never in the position of having to tell our staff that their jobs were in jeopardy, nor did we ever have to tell our guests that food and shelter would not be available. Your generosity provided stability and reassurance when it was needed most." Bausman added, "In the spirit of full transparency, we would like to ask your permission to retain the donations received through this appeal and utilize them to establish an emergency fund. This fund will help ensure that City Mission is prepared for future challenges and remains in a position where we do not have to decrease services to those we serve. Our donors and our community stepped up in a powerful way." "I think it is a tremendous reflection on the power of using your voice," Stuby said. She noted that people spoke up in support of mental health, and the cuts were rescinded. "To me, that's a reinforcement that this is a bipartisan issue and there are people that recognize and support the need for mental health services," she said. Another positive in the whole experience was "every elected person that we contacted took our call," she said. ADAMHS reached out to Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn, the Hancock County commissioners and legislators at the state and federal level. Asked if the experience left her concerned for the future, Stuby said, "I would say that it's prudent for everyone to stay on top of things as much as possible, because you never know. We just have to be as prepared as we can be." She also pointed out that, although the decision was reversed, the experience caused everyone involved a great deal of stress. "You have a workforce that was put in chaos," she said. You have services to people that were put in jeopardy." She expressed gratitude to that workforce and to the individuals receiving services for "their grace and understanding." From a policymaking perspective, however, she said this reinforces "the need to think about unintended consequences when decisions are made". Brooke Nissen, executive director of FOCUS, had on Wednesday shared with The Courier her fears for her own workforce, as the cuts could impact staff at FOCUS, potentially touching upon other services FOCUS offered. "I am just exhausted," Nissen said Thursday afternoon. "I'm glad, though (that funding was restored)." "The abrupt and unexpected termination of these grant agreements would have caused immediate and devastating funding gaps, resulting in dramatic reductions in our organization's ability to serve the families and individuals who rely on the services we provide," wrote John Bindas, president/CEO of Family Resource Center, in a statement Thursday afternoon. "Thankfully, after intense public pressure through thoughtful, passionate advocacy from providers, partners and everyday citizens from across the political spectrum, the administration reversed course late Wednesday evening … We are relieved and encouraged by this outcome. The last 24 hours have been a roller coaster for our team. From frontline providers to administration, staff were thrust into uncertainty, but continued serving clients in the community under incredibly difficult circumstances." Bindas added that the roller coaster day "does also reinforce the critical need for local support for this meaningful work. These programs are actively saving lives of people in recovery, improving lives of children, and supporting healthy, resilient families." "We are thankful for those who passionately spoke out to elected officials on our behalf, and to everyone who supports the work being done across the local system of care in Hancock County," he added.