“Part of the board’s strategic plan is to increase services for folks without medicaid or insurance,” said Scott Fourman, associate executive director of Mental Health Services for the county. “So what we wanted to do is increase their capacity to do that and help more folks.”
The mental health board received a one-time allocation last month of more than $900,000 from Ohio Department of Mental Health, which provided the funds for LifeSpan, said Fourman.
LifeSpan offers services through two umbrella divisions, Family Life Services and Support Services for Adults and Seniors. A large part of its work is mental health services, said Linda Ipp, LifeSpan’s marketing and development manager. Locations include Mason, Middletown, Oxford, West Chester Twp. and Hamilton, where it’s based.
Of the $160,000, $60,000 replaces funds lost from Butler County United Way on July 1 for clinical counseling, Ipp said. Specifically, the money is for clinical counseling for those who can’t afford it. The remaining amount funds new jobs for a representative payee, who manages case loads, and a community support, a clerical assistant for guardians, she said.
Bill Staler, director of Family Life Services, said they’re actively looking for licensed therapists as well.
“The mental health board has recognized we are at capacity for the staff we currently have,” Ipp said. “This is really helping their purpose, too.”
The Mason office will move to 7588 Central Parke Blvd. in January, Staler said. The target date is the week of Jan. 10. There also is a potential move on the horizon for Middletown, he said.
Both offices are currently in space shared with other agencies, Staler said. The Mason move is also in response to increased demand, he said.
“The Mason location is much more visible, much more easily found by clients,” he said.
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