EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WDTN) — Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services is joining crisis responders in East Palestine to assist with residents’ mental health needs, following the Feb. 3 train derailment.
Montgomery County ADAMHS is sending trained crisis responders to East Palestine over the next few weeks. The responders will be there to listen, offer support and connect people to mental health resources.
“Offering ideas for how people might be able to resolve some of the the smaller kinds of issues that arise, but also being able to offer ideas where people can get additional support so they can go on with their lives,” ADAMHS Executive Director Helen Jones-Kelley said.
According to Montgomery County ADAMHS, staff will be joining teams from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Health.
“When we learned this weekend from state leadership that crisis responders were needed in Columbiana County, we recognized we could help provide trained community crisis responders,” said Helen Jones-Kelley, executive director of Montgomery County ADAMHS.
A team was pulled together of staff who received NOVA Crisis Response Team Training through $7 million a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services grant that was awarded to Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services.
Jones-Kelley said forming the team was prompted by several crises in the Montgomery County community, like the Memorial Day tornadoes and the Oregon District Mass Shooting. At that time, ADAMHS only had a few crisis responders.
“We wanted to be able to fill that role within our own communities,” Jones-Kelley said.
For more information about Montgomery County ADAMHS, click here.
