Morrow County proclaims May as Mental Health Month; local provider urges stigma reduction
May 01, 2024 | Morrow County, Ohio
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Morrow County Board of Commissioners adopted a proclamation designating May 2024 as Mental Health Month and confirmed May 2, 2024 as the National Day of Prayer during its May 1 meeting.
The board chair opened the meeting with a prayer and Commissioner (S2) read the National Day of Prayer proclamation, saying, "So May 2, which is tomorrow, Thursday, 05/02/2024," and designating it "as a day of prayer throughout Morrow County, Ohio." The proclamation text recited the historical framing of the observance and invited residents and institutions to participate.
Why it matters: county officials and a local health provider framed the proclamations as a chance to spotlight mental-health needs and community supports. A presenter from Morrow Family Health Center (Presenter, S5) urged practical attention to mental-health stressors and services, saying, "Mental health to the extreme of substance abuse, alcohol abuse, gambling, those type of things," and arguing that youth need accessible people to talk to in schools and communities.
Presenter (S5) described a range of issues she said drive mental-health crises—online bullying, substance use and isolation—and invited commissioners and the public to the health center's events, noting an open board meeting and an annual breakfast planned for September. Commissioners and other speakers tied those concerns to public safety, with one commissioner stressing the pressure on law enforcement and EMS when responding to people with mental-health needs and praising the county's drug court as an alternative to incarceration.
The board voted by verbal assent in roll-call fashion to adopt the mental-health proclamation and the National Day of Prayer observance. Commissioners recessed briefly for an activity and a photo following the proclamation adoption.
Next steps: the proclamations are ceremonial but the presenters and commissioners highlighted upcoming community events and outreach opportunities; the meeting record shows staff and local partners will continue outreach and public programming tied to the observances.
The board chair opened the meeting with a prayer and Commissioner (S2) read the National Day of Prayer proclamation, saying, "So May 2, which is tomorrow, Thursday, 05/02/2024," and designating it "as a day of prayer throughout Morrow County, Ohio." The proclamation text recited the historical framing of the observance and invited residents and institutions to participate.
Why it matters: county officials and a local health provider framed the proclamations as a chance to spotlight mental-health needs and community supports. A presenter from Morrow Family Health Center (Presenter, S5) urged practical attention to mental-health stressors and services, saying, "Mental health to the extreme of substance abuse, alcohol abuse, gambling, those type of things," and arguing that youth need accessible people to talk to in schools and communities.
Presenter (S5) described a range of issues she said drive mental-health crises—online bullying, substance use and isolation—and invited commissioners and the public to the health center's events, noting an open board meeting and an annual breakfast planned for September. Commissioners and other speakers tied those concerns to public safety, with one commissioner stressing the pressure on law enforcement and EMS when responding to people with mental-health needs and praising the county's drug court as an alternative to incarceration.
The board voted by verbal assent in roll-call fashion to adopt the mental-health proclamation and the National Day of Prayer observance. Commissioners recessed briefly for an activity and a photo following the proclamation adoption.
Next steps: the proclamations are ceremonial but the presenters and commissioners highlighted upcoming community events and outreach opportunities; the meeting record shows staff and local partners will continue outreach and public programming tied to the observances.
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