Paint Valley ADAMH giving levy another shot

CHILLICOTHE - The continued upward trend of opiate addiction is behind the decision by the Paint Valley Alcool, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board to put a 1-mill levy back on the ballot.

In November, 57 percent of voters across Paint Valley ADAMH's five-county service area — Ross, Pike, Pickaway, Fayette, and Highland — rejected the levy. However, Board Chairman Jack Clark, of Circleville, said the need is still there to boost mental health and addiction treatment.

"The need did not go away just because the voters didn't approve the previous levy," Clark said.

The number of deaths related to drug overdoses from 2016 in Ross County is expected to break another record. As of Thursday, 39 deaths had been confirmed drug overdoses, with three of them ruled suicide and the rest unintentional, according to the Ross County Coroner's Office.

Toxicology reports are pending in at least five more deaths the coroner's office thinks are likely drug overdoses. If more than one of them is ruled a drug overdose, the total will eclipse the 40 drug overdose deaths recorded in 2015.

The deaths are just one aspect of the problem, as Paint Valley ADAMH Associate Director Penny Dehner points out.

"The opiate epidemic has long-reaching and long-lasting effects on children and families struggling with addiction. We are seeing far too many children experiencing increased mental health needs due to exposure to the opiate epidemic," Dehner said. "The levy is needed to build health, wellness and recovery for all families in our communities."

If passed, the 1-mill levy would generate about $4.6 million annually and be in place for a decade before going before voters again. The current 1-mill levy was last replaced in 2012 on its second try. The additional levy would cost the owner of a home assessed at $100,000 about $35 more a year.

Dehner said the board has the same plans for the money as in the first levy campaign: $1 million would go for detox; $1 million for crisis care; $1 million for addiction and mental health treatment; and $1 million for prevention, mostly targeting children.

An increase in local money also would help defray a cut in state and federal funds. Between fiscal years 2015 and 2016, the Paint Valley ADAMH Board reported losing about $1 million in state and federal funds. The $2.2 million received in 2016 is a $500,000 decrease from four years ago when adjusted for inflation.

Services also could be affected if the Affordable Care Act is repealed in whole. Gov. John Kasich wrote to Congress this week, asking lawmakers to retain the Medicaid expansion. Dehner said losing the Medicaid expansion would put even greater burden on ADAMH boards to find local money to help people who are underinsured or without insurance.

"It's devastating because Medicaid expansion allowed a single male to qualify for Medicaid so when that goes away, that entire population can't be served," Dehner said.

A change coming in 2018 on how Medicaid reimbursements are determined also is expected to negatively affect services, but Dehner said officials are still working to determine how much money may be lost.

Although some federal money is being directed toward the opiate problem, Dehner said the money for treatment will only help a few states right now. For example, the Comprehensive Addiction & Recovery Act this fiscal year will provide $1.5 million in grants for recovery support services, a first for the federal government. However, just 10 states will receive the money, getting $150,000 each.

The act authorizes $181 million in spending annually, but appropriations will be determined each year and can be much less. In September, $37 million in new opioid money was approved to get some grants started, but the hope is that the act will be fully funded.

"I'm not seeing a way out of our problems without an additional levy," Dehner said.