Huron County mental health Levy 2025
Levy Information
What are the terms of the levy?
10 year .5 mill replacement with a .5 mill increase.
How much does the levy cost?
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$24.50 per year for a $70,000 valued property
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$35 per year for a $100,000 valued property
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$70 per year for a $200,000 valued property
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$105 per year for a $300,000 valued property
How does levy funding benefit Huron County residents?
The money collected from the levy stays in Huron County and is only used for Huron County residents. Levy funding enhances the Board's accountability to the community and allows the Board to fund services prioritized by the community, since state and federal funds increasingly are earmarked for specific programs and/or populations. Additionally, local levy funds are used to capture state and federal dollars for Huron County residents, bringing state and federal taxes back to this community. Local dollars are often needed when applying for grants.
How does this help me?
Funding is used not only for individuals with a mental health or substance use disorder, but also for wellness support services, prevention services, family support and education, and community trainings and outreach. These services work to improve the overall wellbeing of Huron County residents.
Without adequate community treatment, individuals with mental illness and/or substance use often end up costing greater amounts of public dollars by needing treatment in other systems such as jails, emergency rooms, foster care, etc.
How many individuals are receiving assistance through the MHAS Board?
In Fiscal Year 2024, we averaged 1,558 clients served per month. Our system received 1,774 calls for assistance for mental health or addiction services through the local HOPE Line. Through our system, 610 crisis assessments were completed in Fiscal Year 2024 and 259 individuals were hospitalized.
If the MHAS Board is a county agency, why is levy funding needed?
While HCMHAS is an organization that serves Huron County, we are not funded by the Huron County Commissioners. The majority of the Board’s funding comes from the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Board also holds, and frequently applies for, grants to expand funding. Levy funding benefits the community because it is flexible funding, allows us to fund additional services. Allocated funding from state has not increased in many years, requiring the Board to obtain additional funding from other sources to meet the needs of the community.
What is the economic impact of mental illness and substance use treatment?
Without adequate community treatment, individuals with mental illness and/or substance use often end up costing greater amounts of public dollars by needing treatment in other systems such as jails, emergency rooms, foster care, etc. Substance use treatment costs approximately $20,000 less than incarceration per person per year for a drug related crime.
For every $1 spent on mental health treatment, there is an economic return of approximately $5; for every $1 spent on substance use treatment, there is an economic return of approximately $4 to $7.
Why is additional funding needed?
• Feedback from the community regarding needed services that do not currently exist in the county.
• Recent increase in Medicaid rates for treatment, which is the rate used by the Board when funding services through contracted treatment providers. Because of this increase, additional funds are needed to support mental health and substance use treatment services.
• Increased demand for behavioral health services
• State allocations have not increased in over a decade.
• The Board has had to flat-fund contracted providers for the past four years; with the lack of increased funding and the increased cost of living, agencies have experienced a net-loss in funding over the past four years.
What other funding does the MHAS Board receive and use for services?
The Board also utilizes state, federal and grant funding for services and supports in Huron County.
In State Fiscal Year 2024, levy funding made up 18% of the Board's total budget, with 35% coming from state funds, 40% from federal funds, and 7% from other.
What kind of services does the Board currently fund in Huron County?
The Board funds a full continuum of care for children, adults, and the elderly. This includes education and prevention services, treatment services, and recovery support. Some examples include:
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Crisis and emergency services.
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Prevention programs and services.
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Crisis Intervention training for first responders.
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Outpatient and inpatient mental health and substance use treatment services.
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Wellness resources and support for the community.
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Support services for individuals in recovery from mental illness and/or addictions.
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Housing and transportation services for individuals living with mental illness and individuals in recovery.
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Peer support services.
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Mental health and addiction services at the Huron County jail.
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Support services for individuals engaged in drug courts in Huron County.
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Support services for grandparents raising children.
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Wraparound services for children and families involved in multiple systems.
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Support for first responders, schools, businesses, and seniors.
What services are a top priority for the Board at this moment?
Mental health services for children and families, mental health peer support, and crisis services are the Board's top priorities at this time.
Is there a report showing how funds are currently being spent?
To learn more about the services funded by the Board and what the Board does, please visit https://www.hcbmhas.org/_files/ugd/635161_018c2ad958f747cd94ac655ea6f05801.pdf to view the Board’s 2023 Annual Report
Why are your staff able to campaign for the levy while working?
Ohio law generally has a prohibition against political subdivisions using public funds to communicate or distribute information that supports the passage of a levy. ADAMH Boards are specifically exempt from this prohibition in ORC 9.03 as a result of an ADAMH Board's duty under ORC 340.03 (A)(7) to "recruit and promote local financial support....from private and public sources...."
What if someone has more questions or would like to help with promoting the levy?
Please call us at 419-681-6268 or send us at email at huroncountymhas@gmail.com.