The Power of Your Voice: 2024 in Review 📅
When we asked our Ohio communities what they needed in 2024, we heard powerful, honest responses that helped shape our program. From Portsmouth to Millersburg, from Cincinnati to Cleveland, from hospital doctors to people with lived experience, every voice contributed to making our services better and more responsive to real community needs.
What We Heard in 2024: Your Insight Matters 🗣️
The feedback we received painted a clear picture of some very real needs in our Ohio communities. A local teacher in Lucasville shared her firsthand experience of seeing addiction's impact on children and their homes. In places like Portsmouth, community members emphasized the need for comprehensive mental health services and stronger community collaboration. In places like Franklin County, community members wanted more boots-on-the-ground harm reduction teams. The honest needs, insights, and great ideas were as rich and diverse as our great tapestry of a state is.
We cannot thank y'all enough for all that you shared! Here are some of the most important insights you gave us:
Key Themes That Emerged From Your Feedback: 📊
1. Rural Healthcare Access 🚗
Breaking Down Barriers: One of the most consistent messages we heard was about healthcare accessibility, especially in rural areas. A community member from Union County pointed out:
"There's a need for transportation for folks to get to appointments both in Marysville and to surrounding areas."
This insight helped us understand that having services available isn't enough – people need to be able to reach them and real health disparities arise when they cannot. This insight also emphasized how behavioral health organizations like ours need to go out of their way to ensure rural-isolated patients aren't just connected to us, but also to primary care, teeth and eye care, and much more.
2. Youth Services 🌱
Supporting Our Next Generation: Multiple responses highlighted the urgent need for youth-focused programs. As one community member noted:
"There's hardly anything for teens to do in town to keep them healthy and safe."
This feedback reinforced the importance of prevention, early intervention services, and building up social assets for our young people.
3. Comprehensive Care Solutions 🌟
Embracing Diversity in Treatment: We heard clearly that one-size-fits-all approaches don't work. And we couldn't agree more! As one respondent with lived experience shared, we need:
"... broad access to modalities ranging from abstinence based, 12 step recovery to needle exchanges & safe injection sites."
This insight has been crucial in shaping our flexible, personalized approach to care. It also reinforces our strong belief that we need an ecosystem of solutions across the behavioral healthcare spectrum- from more inpatient withdrawal management options all the way to state-supported Overdose Prevention Centers.
How We've Transformed Our Services Based on Your Input 💪
Your feedback didn't just sit in a database – it drove real change across our programs:
1. Doubled Down on Telehealth & In-Community Services 💻
+ We enhanced virtual care and in-community options even further.
+ We further improved accessibility for homebound individuals and people living with disabilities.
+ Deepened our commitment to multi-modal, accessibility-driven recovery.
2. Strengthened Local Partnerships 🤝
+ We established deeper connections with community organizations both inside and outside the recovery community.
+ We enhanced our home-based and school-based support systems for youth.
+ We expanded knowledge bases around youth-focused mental health, trauma, and Social & Emotional Learning (SEL).
3. Enhanced Peer-Based Empowerment 👥
+ We expanded our peer support partnerships and in-community opportunities for our adult patients.
+ We increased community-based support options to bolster connection and social safety.
+ We are excited to share more on our plans for this program in 2025!
4. Better Services & Harm Reduction⚕️
+ We added even more adaptable and population-specific treatment options to meet the ever-evolving and diverse needs of Ohioans.
+ We improved our community outreach and education efforts by introducing a no-barrier naloxone and fentanyl test strip distribution program.
Looking Ahead: Help Shape Our 2025 Vision 🔮
As we plan for 2025, we're committed to continuing this vital dialogue with our communities. We believe that the best solutions come from listening to those we serve in solidarity– people with lived experience, concerned community members, behavioral healthcare workers, teachers, and everyone in-between. We Want to Hear From You! 📣
Take Action: Share Your Voice Today! ✍️
Your feedback directly shapes how we deliver care and support to Ohio communities. We invite you to share your thoughts through our feedback form. Every response helps us build stronger, more effective services that truly meet community needs.
Together, We're Better 💪
When communities speak, and organizations listen and act, real change happens. Join us in creating behavioral healthcare solutions that work for everyone, regardless of where they live or what barriers they face.
