Callender Announces CARES Act Funding for Mental Health and Senior Centers

State Rep. Jamie Callender (R-Concord) announces the state Controlling Board approved significant CARES Act funding in support of mental health and for senior centers across the state. Callender announced his support of the measures.

“Today, the Controlling Board has once again taken proactive steps to ensuring that CARES Act funding is being efficiently approved to help our state and facilities properly handle the challenges they have all faced due to COVID-19.”

For mental health services and senior centers, the Controlling Board approved the following:

• $10 million in COVID-19 mental health response to fund contracting and community disbursements in support of response efforts in three primary areas: visibility and access for services, psychiatric inpatient and crisis care, and supports and capacity building for child welfare, first responders, suicide prevention and support for students and staff in primary, secondary and higher education.

• $5 million in COVID-19 higher education mental health in support of the immediate behavioral health response and recovery needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic on Ohio college and university campuses to handle the rise in demand for mental health and counseling support services for students enrolled in Ohio's public universities, community colleges, and non-profit higher education.

• $8.5 million through the Governor's Emergency Education Relief for higher education mental health for longer-term support and capacity development, connection to community resources, and implementation of behavioral health supports in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• $6 million through the Governor's Emergency Education Relief for K-12 mental health to support capacity development, connection to community resources, and implementation.

• $1.5 million through the Governor's Emergency Education Relief for mental health coordination.

• $15.2 million for senior and adult day care centers to meet certain safety standards, including reduced capacity and spacing, sanitation, signage and communication, facility standards, activity requirements and staffing protocols.

Along with the funding for mental health and facilities, another measure included $81.5 million through CARES Act appropriations for the Ohio Department of Health. This request will allow the state to continue its efforts to combat the pandemic and promote economic recovery through statewide COVID-19 testing and other response activities.

Callender also noted a local measure that was approved today to redirect $750,000 in funds from Lorain, Ohio to the Lake County Ohio Port and Economic Development Authority for a beneficial use of dredge material sediment processing facility located east of Fairport Harbor in Lake County, Ohio.

The next Controlling Board meeting is set for Oct. 26.