Behavioral health, Human Services highlight State of Montgomery County event

Moderating the event was Marsha Bonhart, an award-winning journalist who retired from WDTN. Major talking points of the event focused on the strengthening of social services.

Jail renovation

The $21 million Montgomery County Jail renovation project — which aims to improve and create spaces dedicated to detox, suicide prevention and medical care — will begin construction in July. County officials said work will likely wrap up by the end of 2026.

The jail will cut 226 general population beds out of its roughly 900 beds, then add 100 medical and behavioral health needs beds as a part of the renovation.

“We have to be honest, there’s been an alarming increase in inmates experiencing very serious medical and mental health conditions,” Rice said. “That has resulted in significantly more hospital trips.”

Rice said the jail’s behavioral health unit will provide relief for local hospitals and improve outcomes for people leaving incarceration.

“We think it’s going to have a wonderful impact for everyone in the jail: those who work there, and those who find themselves there. And it will help the whole community,” she said.

Safety Net Portal

Montgomery County also continues work on its behavioral health safety net portal. The portal will serve as a community-wide referral system to help health care providers coordinate care for people coming into emergency departments and other spaces with behavioral health needs.

This effort was recommended by the Montgomery County Behavioral Health Task Force, which the Montgomery County commission formed in 2023 in partnership with the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association.

The county invested $1.3 million toward the project, and the portal is expected to launch next year.

“It will serve as a centralized platform that improves care coordination throughout Montgomery County’s behavioral health and public safety ecosystem,” Rice said.

Children Services and foster care

Montgomery County Children Services has seen an increase in youth in its custody, seeing on average 758 children monthly in 2024.

“We want to see families come back together, if it’s at all possible,” McDonald said. “This is accomplished through ongoing case management with both families and foster families.”

Montgomery County has 240 foster homes, with county officials wanting to add another 100 homes.

“The need for the children in foster care has become more complex, leading to greater demand for intense support services,” McDonald said. “We are dealing with children who have been through so much trauma, it has made it extremely challenging for our caseworkers and for the work that they provide.”

Montgomery County also saw children find their forever families — 71 adoptions were finalized in 2024.

Human Services

This November, Montgomery County voters will be asked to renew a Human Services Levy that funds $58 million in social services.

Commission President Dodge had three words to share about the proposed eight-year, 6.9-mill levy renewal: “No new taxes!”

The Human Services Levy distributes funding to agencies like Montgomery County Children Services, Montgomery County Developmental Disabilities Services, Montgomery County Alcohol Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services, Older Adult Services and Public Health - Dayton and Montgomery County.

A staggered levy model was proposed to the public roughly 40 years ago as a method of supporting multiple agencies that provide social services to residents through one funding pool, Dodge said.

“It’s just so vitally important that we get this passed this year,” she said. “These services are so critical.”

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