When the private provider for mental health services in Montgomery County quit in May, their local crisis response came to a stop. Then, proposed contracts for a replacement provider were rejected.
Now, the Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) staff are hearing from people about what mental health crisis services should look like in the region.
In a series of community events around Dayton, Montgomery County residents gave feedback on the delivery of crisis mental health services. They shared what new services could look like and suggested better delivery.
Tara Campbell, who attended one of the meetings, said the most important piece when seeking a new provider is to make sure that no one is left out.
“I think it's very important that whoever does become the vendor per se, that they can take care of everyone that needs help in our community as opposed to one just in particular,” Campbell said.
Sean Mitchell, another attendee at a recent public hearing, said continuous improvement is needed with the county’s mental health services provision.
“We need more transparency about the stages of where things are at. We know we're more than likely not going to have a crisis unit where people can stay longer than 23 hours right now. But if that is a future goal, what might that look like? What are the barriers to that?” Mitchell said.
ADAMHS staff said their next step is to take community feedback and use it when considering requests for proposals for new providers.
For now, people who need mental health help can call 988.
