Commissioners, officers honored for support of Crisis Intervention Team
NAMI Ohio leader will speak at Portage Annual Dinner on May 22
James C. Mauro, JD, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Ohio (NAMI), will speak at the Mental Health & Recovery Board’s Annual Dinner on May 22 at the American Legion in Kent.
A former board president of the organization he now oversees, Mauro entered the arena of mental health advocacy as a family member. He was active in a broad range of activities in the mental health field and was particularly interested in children's issues, issues related to both civil and criminal law and the elimination of the stigma. He has been at the helm of NAMI Ohio since 2006. He will talk about the challenges facing community advocates as they work to eliminate stigma and improve life for persons with mental illness and substance abuse.
The Mental Health & Recovery Board will also honor Portage County Commissioners, the Portage County Chiefs’ Association, the Crisis Intervention Team(CIT) officer of the year and the CIT county coordinators. Commissioners provided the first grant to establish the program locally. The Chiefs’ Association has supported county wide implementation of the training which helps officers work with persons in crises. More than 100 officers and court personnel have been trained in CIT, a national program sponsored through NAMI to help law enforcement and related professionals understand mental illness and work with individuals in crisis.
Tickets for the dinner meeting are $20 per person. Call Laura at 330-673-1756, ext. 201, for a reservation form. The American Legion is located at 1945 Modagore Roadl Kent. Deadline for tickets is May 16.
What is the MHRB?
The Mental Health & Recovery Board supports healthy communities by investing in services to help residents of all ages who need treatment for mental health or substance abuse dependence problems and to provide prevention education, especially for youths at risk for substance abuse. The Board's funds also support 24-hour emergency services to help residents in crisis and to provide assistance when communities experience crisis incidents. A county government agency, the Board funds services through a network of community-based agencies. Services help thousands of children, teens, families, adults and seniors each year. The network includes: Coleman Professional Services, Townhall II, Children's Advantage, Family and Community Services and its Safer Futures program, The Bair Foundation and Compass Recovery.