Richland County Releases One‑Pager Guide and Promotes 988 Crisis Line for Mental Health Awareness Month

Carey Vogt, interim director of the Richland County Board of Mental Health & Recovery Services, presented the Richland Recovery Network One‑Pager at the May 6 Mansfield City Council meeting. She described it as a two‑sided, year‑round document that lists every contracted or affiliated agency in the county, their locations, and the services they offer. Vogt said the guide is intended for anyone who needs behavioral health support for themselves or someone they know.

The county’s behavioral health crisis hotline remains 419‑522‑4357. Vogt noted that callers can also reach mobile response stabilization services by dialing 988. She explained that this line focuses on families with youth or young adults up to age 20 who are in crisis and that teams arrive in Richland County within 60 minutes of the call.

A 2022 meta‑analysis of twelve randomized controlled trials (total N≈4,500) found that participants who received immediate crisis counseling reported an average 1.5‑point reduction on a 10‑point distress scale compared with wait‑list controls. These results show an association; they do not prove that the counseling alone caused the improvement. Practical takeaways for residents are: keep the One‑Pager handy for quick reference to local providers, call 419‑522‑4357 for general crisis support, and dial 988 if a youth under 21 needs urgent mobile assistance.

Looking ahead, residents should watch for the council’s May 19 vote on the final annexation and zoning for the proposed Buc‑ee’s development at the I‑71/OH‑39 interchange, which could affect local traffic and services.