Governor Mike DeWine has taken a significant step to improve mental health accessibility for Ohioans by endorsing the Governor’s Work Group recommendations on Competency Restoration and Diversion. As reported, the strategies presented are designed to alleviate pressure on the state's psychiatric facilities, which are hovering near full capacity, and to provide wider treatment options across the state.
Ohio's regional psychiatric hospitals are operating at about 96% capacity, dealing with the overflow of individuals tied to the criminal justice system. As Governor DeWine points out, "At the heart of these recommendations is our desire to help all Ohioans in need of mental health supports to access the right care, in the right place, at the right time." This includes individuals who have not committed crimes but are in dire need of mental health crisis support. Director LeeAnne Cornyn remarked on the situation, stating via Governor of Ohio Mike DeWine, "This makes it practically impossible for anyone to use this valuable community resource without committing a crime first. Something needed to change."
One key measure already in motion is enhanced support for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, ensuring a comprehensive response to Ohioans experiencing a mental health emergency. Furthermore, improvements are being made to streamline mental health and criminal justice systems processes, including implementing "navigation teams" tasked with guiding individuals through their dealings with both systems.
Director Cornyn emphasized the intent to relieve the regional psychiatric hospitals and "increase access to care for non-criminally-involved patients." According to the Governor of Ohio Mike DeWine, strategies being pursued involve increasing hospital bed availability, recruiting and sustaining top-tier mental healthcare and criminal justice professionals, and broadening cross-training among these professionals. The state is also focusing attention on the early evaluation of the mental health needs of individuals entering the criminal justice system and ensuring consistent access to necessary medications for those in jails suffering from mental and substance use disorders.
Additionally, Ohio is investing in the physical expansion of its mental health facilities. For instance, a new behavioral health hospital in Central Ohio has already added 30 beds, and a plan has been set forth to build another new hospital in the Miami Valley area that will introduce more than 200 patient beds. These expansions signify a tangible step towards addressing the state's mental health crisis.
The work group included behavioral health, criminal justice, and psychology experts and partnered with state agencies, community organizations, and locals to compile the recommendations. The group's efforts encompassed months of meetings, conversations with experts, listening sessions across the state, and convening current and former criminal justice-involved psychiatric hospital patients to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive set of guidelines was established to improve mental health access and care in Ohio.
