MEDINA ? County agencies that provide behavior health services are seeing an increase in patrons without health insurance.
Executive Director Michael Jenks of the Medina County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health board told county commissioners Monday that fewer community members who are seeking help from agencies have health insurance and resources to pay for treatment.
?In our system, we pay for the care for Medina County citizens, so if someone has less resources and comes through the door, we pay a larger share of the cost of any treatment they may need,? Jenks said.
In 2003, 33 percent of people who sought help from ADAMH board agencies did not have health insurance, he said. But last year that number jumped to 59 percent, he added.
Jenks said the economic downturn is to blame for the increase of patients and decrease of patients with financial resources.
?Because it has so broadly hit so many people, more and more people are stressed out,? Jenks said of the poor economy. ?And because of that stress, they are getting to the point of having to go see someone.?
The ADAMH board funds Solutions Behavioral Healthcare and Alternative Paths. Solutions provides alcohol-related and mental health programs for families, adults and children, Jenks said. Alternative Paths? primary focus is mental health, but it also provides emergency services, he added.
This year, the ADAMH board is expecting an increase of about 400 people who will use Solutions and Alternative Paths compared to last year.
?I think we?re seeing kids who are disturbed earlier on age-wise and people with more complex needs and family dynamics,? Jenks said. ?It?s not seeming to get a whole lot easier.?
The time it takes to be treated at an agency also has increased, but Jenks said he hoped that would change next year when the state departments of mental health and alcohol and drug addiction services are merged. Jenks said he expects to see more efficiency and less redundancy with the merger slated for July 2013.
?We?d probably see more standardization of one kind of report that would go forward instead of two different types of reports,? Jenks said of reporting to the two state departments. ?That would go down to the agency level so they?d have more time to render services, so that would be a good thing.?
He said the merger is ?completely in line with what we?re seeing as national trends in other states to put these two mental health and alcohol services under an umbrella. I think we?ve been encouraged and very optimistic that where the department is going is going to be good for Medina County.?
Jenks said it?s too soon to tell if the merger will benefit the county?s ADAMH board financially because it?s still in the planning process.
He said the Ohio Department of Mental Health allocated $10.6 million to the state?s six ADAMH regions for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Of those millions, the Medina County ADAMH board will receive about $160,000.
Contact Michelle Sprehe at (330) 721-4048 or msprehe@medina-gazette.com.
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