(bright upbeat music) - Hello and welcome to "Journal."

I'm Steve Kendall.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only affected the physical health of people and the systems that deal with that, but also those systems that deal with mental health, alcohol addiction, and drug addiction.

We're joined for this episode of "Journal" by Chris Steidl, the Director of Quality Improvement for the Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Board.

Chris, thanks for taking the time to join us today on the "Journal."

- Thank you so much for having me.

- Could you talk a little about, just so people are clear, what your organization does?

Because the title talks about mental health, alcohol addiction, drug addiction, but kind of expand on those topics a little bit and all of the service.

'Cause it's three things, but there's a lot that's behind those three things in the organization's title.

- Absolutely, so Ohio actually has 51 of these boards.

Some of them are single county, like Wood County.

Some of them serve multiple counties, but basically what we do is we plan, fund, monitor, and advocate for services in our communities.

So we try and look at what a community needs.

So we're gonna look, in Wood County, about what Wood County residents need, what the problems are here locally.

And that is really important that we can look locally instead of trying to do something at a statewide or a nationwide level, because community needs can differ.

We monitor, we try and make sure that for the tax dollars that we're set to really take care of and execute for the residents, that they're getting the best bang for their buck, that we're really making sure that the services we purchase are effective, they're efficient, and they're meeting the correct needs.

- Now, when we talk about, of course, mental health as a big part of this.

Talk about some of the services that you guys have contract for or provide or make available to residents in Wood County.

- Absolutely, so we are tasked with providing an entire system of care, and it's a kind of a fun way of looking at really every service you might need.

So prevention services, as well as the things that people typically might think of when they think of mental health or addiction services, the therapy, and group, and things with a psychiatrist, but the services can differ pretty widely from county to county.

Like I said, it really is about what that community needs.

So here in Wood County, we have a big focus on prevention.

We wanna make sure that we can keep people as healthy as we can without having to get to a point where they need services.

But I like to think we have some pretty great treatment services as well.

And we want wanna make sure that really we are that net for people that are in need of services.

So we wanna make sure that the cost of a service is never a barrier to treatment, that they can get in and they can get help.

So we know that Medicaid is out there, and with Medicaid expansion, a lot of people were able to get services that years before were not, but we're also that safety net for those that maybe they don't qualify for Medicaid, but still can't afford their services.

We wanna make sure that that door is open and people can get and stay healthy.

- Now, when you look at the county itself, what are some of the major issues that you deal with that might be different from other counties?

I mean, obviously addiction has layers all across the state, and beyond that across the country, but are there particular things that are more unique to Wood County or more, that come out more in terms of numbers than other counties?

- Sure, absolutely.

I think one of the things about Wood County is we are really geographically large.

So we're the second largest county in the state of Ohio.

And we're oddly distributed.

Because we're right there against Toledo we have a lot of populations that are right up at the north end of our county as well as kinda central in Bowling Green.

But there's so much county outside of those two areas, so to make sure that we have transportation services are big for us, making sure people can get into services.

And that's one of those things that the pandemic has really changed.

making telemedicine services more available to people and more accessible has been kind of a good thing, but we're also looking at how is that changing how people engage?

And how is that changing how well they're doing in services?

So it's been a really interesting time.

I still would prefer we never had to deal with it.

But the reality is we're kind of looking at those services and looking at how we can use this in the future, especially as we have a younger generation engaging in services that are more comfortable with this technology.

So we have an opportunity now to really make sure that we can engage, but we have to also at the same time, weigh the needs of the population that just don't engage that well to this type of service, and continue to provide great service to them.

Now, with the pandemic, has that been an issue that maybe people aren't themselves accessing the services because of their inability to deal with the technology that might benefit them?

So that's a challenge, you said, geographically because of the area, more rural than urban.

So that is an issue to some degree then?

- Absolutely, and across the state those needs can change.

For some people they're not comfortable.

For others, they don't have the device to be able to connect in.

In some areas in Ohio they don't have the stable internet to be able to connect that way.

So they're connecting with telephone services and things like that, but it's definitely an issue.

And that's one of those things that can change by county.

We are blessed with amazing voters that have really, really supported alcohol, drug addiction services, mental health services here.

So we've been able to provide some access to our residents, making sure that we can provide an electronic device that they can connect.

And we're fortunate enough to be close to those population centers that we have usually pretty good internet, depending on the part of the county.

It can get a little spotty.

But so those are barriers that we certainly work to overcome.

And every community is, they have their volunteers that are serving, appointed volunteers serving on their board that are trying to look at their community and say, okay, how do we help?

How do we make sure that people can get what they need?

- Yeah, and you make a good point, too.

We've learned new ways to do things through necessity because of the things that we aren't allowed to do now.

So that, as you said in the long run, that will provide some additional benefits because we've been sort of pushed into doing things maybe in a different way than we would have thought about doing or anticipated doing in the same timeframe.

- Absolutely.

It's been very interesting to see how things are changing, 'cause right now in our county, we're looking at more people are, more services are being accessed than ever before.

Our agencies are providing more services than they have in the past.

At the same time, less people are engaging in services, and that's a strange kind of dichotomy, to have less people coming in the door, but more services being provided, and we expect, and I'm sure you guys have all heard it before, there's a surge coming for our mental health issues.

There's a surge coming for our addiction issues.

They're going to be coming in bigger numbers to get in the door.

And we have to make sure that we are prepared to see that.

And our workforce is ready.

- Yeah, well, when we come back, let's talk about those aspects of how, 'cause I touched on a little in the intro that the pandemic has created issues that have rippled through the other parts of the services you provide and the mental health, the addiction, all of those things have created bigger issues than normally would have been the case.

We'll be back in just a moment with Chris Steidl, Director of Quality Improvement, the Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Board.

Back in a moment here on "The Journal."

Thank you for staying with us here on "The Journal."

Our guest is Chris Steidl of the Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Board, Alcohol, Drug Addiction, Mental Health Board.

Chris, one of the things we talked about at the end of that last segment was the fact that you're expecting to see increased numbers in some of those areas that you deal with regard to alcohol addiction, drug addiction, all of the various pieces of metal health.

So talk a little bit about that, about what you're anticipating, and then how you folks are gonna plan for that and try to be as best prepared as possible to deal with what you know is coming in those areas.

- Absolutely, I think the first thing we look at is our increase in overdoses, whether that's fatal or nonfatal, as well as our increase in depths of despair.

And that's impacting every county a little bit differently, but I'll define deaths of despair.

So we kinda look at suicides and our unintentional overdoses and put those together as a number, because we know there are some links there.

It's about people feeling hopeless.

Every county's gonna to have a different look at it.

Right now in Wood County we've been fortunate that our suicides are a little bit lower than they have in past years.

Of course one is too many.

But we wanna make sure that we're putting those things out there and trying to do as much as we can to prevent that.

But our overdoses are as high as they've ever been.

Our last year, which of course just ended.

We just got those numbers recently for the previous year.

It's the highest we've ever had.

And we've talked about opioid crises across the state and across the nation for years.

And for that one to be our highest one really was kind of a kick in the teeth.

- Yeah, because I believe that you, because progress was being made on that front before the pandemic set in that there was at least sort of some light at the end of that tunnel of opioid addiction and deaths and that sorta thing.

But this has unfortunately taken that gain away a little, as you said.

- It has.

And as you look at this population, one that had been coming into services, that had been really engaging, but we've unfortunately had to shift how they've accessed services pretty dramatically.

So when you have a group of people that are engaging in intensive outpatient, they're there three to five days a week several hours per day, and then, at the beginning of the pandemic that kind of got cut off, 'cause we couldn't have everybody in one room.

We still can't have everybody in one room the same way we used to.

And it's just not the same.

I think if, even if you and I were sitting in a room, it's just a different feel than when we're across the state or even in adjoining rooms in front of screens.

We just can't connect in quite the same way.

And I think that's been an issue.

As well as those great groups that have been out there for years, the Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, and those were unable to meet early on as well.

So I think we saw a bit of that feeling of the floor dropping out on a population that had been finding some support.

We are looking at how can we do better?

Some of it's individual services.

They're coming in and they're talking with just a counselor, but it's just, it's a different feel.

Some of it is across Zoom.

We're also trying to make sure that we have virtual options available.

So we have peer supporters that they can connect with on their phone (voice muffling) by a video cam.

And they have almost like a social networking online type of thing.

Little like a Facebook type stuff, but specifically focused on recovery.

We're putting those things in.

But as of yet, it's just not slowing the overdose rates.

And that's a scary thought, but you know, the fact that some of 'em have lost their jobs, they don't have that sense of purpose that often you get, even when you don't always love your job, you feel like you're doing something.

So, not to mention structure and routine and things like that.

So it's really a huge shock to the system, for someone that has been engaging and has been doing well to really have that big shakeup.

The coping mechanisms that they've used in the past have not always been good.

That's why they come in for services, whether that's addiction, whether that's mental health, they can fall back into those habits and end up in a place where they're in trouble, and it's tough.

So we do everything we can to make sure that we're wrapping around 'em in the best way we can in this current climate.

- Yeah, well and you make a good point because being in a room with someone, being able to read their non-verbals, sense what they're thinking, besides what they're saying, and as you said, too, having other people around who provided that sense of support and is much more difficult no matter how good we are at technology and making it feel like we're face to face, it's still not the same as that personal connection you get when you are actually talking with somebody in a regular situation.

And that's, so it's gotta be such a challenge for you guys.

So yeah, you've talked about how you can deal with that.

And I guess you're constantly probably learning more about how best to do that as well.

- Yes, we are studying everything we can to figure out, okay, what can we do to make sure people are connecting in the same way?

So one of the things we do is we measure how effective our services are.

Pretty much every contact, particularly in therapy.

And we found a big dip in efficacy since the pandemic has started.

And though, I can't say it's causal at this point, I'd love to be able to, but I can't yet, but there's a correlation there that as we're increasing engagement in virtual services, the level to which people are getting help is going down a little bit, and we're gonna do everything we can to improve those services.

But some of it is, we're just, we're really hoping the vaccinations get out there, people can engage like we used to.

And when we come into a room, we can have that handshake.

That's a powerful, powerful thing to just be able to have some human physical contact.

And I think we're missing that right now as a society.

And we're missing that right now even in our housing services.

- And even just in normal, just typical day-to-day relationships.

You're right.

Just being able to, as you said, physical kind of shaking somebody's hand as a greeting is off the table right now.

And then if you add to that the challenges of all the other things you've talked about.

A simple thing like that is a big thing for a lot of people.

And then all the other things that kind of ripple from that as well.

When we come back, let's talk a little bit more about some of the services and how people can, you can get them better access or make it, explain to them how easy access can be given the situation that we're in.

So back in just a moment with Chris Steidl from the Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Board here on "The Journal."

You're with us here on "The Journal," and our guest is Chris Steidl the Director of Quality Improvement for the Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, Mental Health Board.

Chris, if someone feels that they're in need of a service in the areas that you guys deal with, what is the best way, the simplest way right now, for them to get in contact with you folks, so you can get them the services they need or steer them to the place where they can get a service, if it's not your particular agency?

- Absolutely, the easiest way in our county is to dial 211.

Get connected with United Way.

And they will help kind of identify what the issues might be and connect you to all kinds of different things.

But one of the things that they'll do specifically for Behavioral Health Services is give that warm handoff.

So you won't have to hang up with a number and call somebody else.

They will connect you to our services, make sure you have an appointment before you hang up the phone.

If it's more of a crisis, if you find right now you can't handle it, then dial 502-HOPE.

It's 419-502-HOPE.

And that'll get you connected with our crisis line.

And that is staffed by professionals that can respond to your issue, activate our mobile crisis team, help you get to the hospital, whatever might need to happen, they're gonna help you get there.

And that one's for our crises.

But we wanna make sure that people know help is here.

Help is here in Wood County.

Help is here for people that need it.

- Yeah, now when we talk about the agency, how many people are we really talking here?

I mean, it's more than just a handful of people.

Your agency is pretty far reaching and has quite a few people who are involved, is that right?

- So we work with a number of agencies that really do the beautiful work of helping people directly, because we are more of a funding service, but we work with Harbor Behavioral Healthcare and Unison, A Renewed Mind, and the Children's Resource Center.

Those are just wonderful agencies that are here in our county, ready to help people.

Our educational service center provides some of the best prevention services in the country.

And we're lucky to have those here in Wood County.

But the board itself is a board of up to 18 volunteers.

Our staff is real small.

We have seven.

So we have seven that manage all of those funds, make sure that we're doing everything we can to ensure that those are used effectively and efficiently.

- And I guess as you mentioned, too, that in many ways there has been good support.

People value the service, because one of the things that's difficult is agencies that rely on funding, on tax dollars, things like that, it's not easy.

And yet these services people have recognized in Wood County and in a lot of other places, too, not just Wood County, that there is a value here.

That the return on investment is much greater than the amount of money that gets invested.

It provides a real strong service and does provide for a positive experience and a better life for a lot of people, not just the people directly affected by the service or who have benefited from the service.

- Oh, absolutely.

I mean the amount of savings across different systems for providing good mental health services, providing good recovery services, you are saving so much money (laughing).

With that ability to get in there.

I think one of my favorite statistics, is just for one program in prevention, every dollar we spend on it saves us $86 in treatment in the future.

So it really is.

It's a wonderful thing to help people, honestly, live their best lives and have their, have that great quality of life.

So if you're doing it for the good of your heart and those warm feelings, absolutely, that's a way to do it.

If you're more just you wanna look at the fiscal conservativism, still a great buy, because you're gonna pay for those on the backend in a much greater way if you're not able to give people what they need and help keep them healthy.

- And I know that if you go to your website, there's a lot of information about what you do and how you do it and all of the partnerships and the collaboration.

And that's what people ask for is for agencies, government to be that sort of a service and do that.

As you look at what you're dealing with right now, and you talked about you're concerned about the surges in addiction, things like that, do you guys get into the areas, 'cause mental health, of course, ripples through a lot of things, what about people who are having, maybe because they're not able to get out as much, they're dealing with other people they're around, their relationships.

Maybe it's a domestic situation.

Things like that.

That would be something you guys would refer to another agency.

Is that something you would deal with?

Or would that get filtered before it got to you, for instance?

- Oh, absolutely.

On both ends.

So if somebody is, let's say there's domestic violence in a family, we're providing that treatment to help the offender get back to a point where that's not a behavior they're gonna continue.

But we also work very closely with the Cocoon, which is our shelter here in Wood County, to make sure that the families that are staying there have access to great services, that they get the response for the trauma that they're experiencing in they're... That is a beautiful relationship.

We're so happy to have that and assist them in really being able to make sure that the whole person is being looked at when they're accessing shelter services or survivor services.

So it's really, it's phenomenal.

I'm so proud of the work that they do.

- Yeah, because unfortunately, with given the situation, we have all aspects of our life have been affected in unfortunate ways.

So yeah, it's good to know that that also is an area that people can deal with.

Once again, we've just got a short time here, if you just wanna let people know, again, how the simplest way to get in touch with you guys and how they can do that the simplest way.

And yeah, and that way they can, these services can be available, people that are in need of them.

- Absolutely, if they ever just need help figuring out what they want to access, give us a call here at 419-352-8475.

If they wanna go directly for services, call 211.

If you're in crisis, please feel free to call 419-502-HOPE.

- Okay, great.

Well, Chris Seidel, thank you so much, from the Wood County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction, Mental Health Board.

Appreciate you being here.

You can check us out on wbgu.org, and of course you can watch us every Thursday night at eight o'clock on "The Journal" on WBG PBS.

We will see you again next time.

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