Beginning this week, Wayne HealthCare and the Darke County Health Department in collaboration with the Wright State University Center for Urban and Public Affairs will begin contacting Darke County adults and requesting their participation in the Community Health Needs Assessment Survey.

Residents may receive a phone call asking them to participate in a 15-20minute survey about their health and the healthcare services available in Darke County. The telephone survey will be conducted by graduate students at Wright State in order to collect valuable health information from a minimum of 400 adults. The survey is completely confidential and will not include any identifying information.

Wayne HealthCare and the Darke County Health Department is requesting residents to take their time when completing the survey. The data gathered will be used by the collaborative organizations and other community partners to identify health issues and concerns from residents’ perspective. The data will also be used to seek future grants to work on implementation of health improvement plan for Darke County.

The Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services is seeking entries from local artists for its annual Art of Recovery showcase, as well as a first-time juried gallery exhibit to be displayed in the Art Gallery at Edison Community College in Piqua throughout the month of October.

Artists who have been affected personally, through a family member or friend, or anyone whose art reflects recovery from mental illness or addiction are invited to participate. Artists display works ranging from painting and drawing to sculpture, mixed media, crafts, photography and poetry. Artists typically reside in Darke, Miami and Shelby counties, although submissions from other counties are sometimes received. Many use their art to express personal journeys with recovery from mental illness and addiction, while others have been touched as family members, friends, advocates and service providers.

For the first time, select Art of Recovery works will be displayed in the Myers-Vacarro Gallery, East Hall, Edison Community College, Piqua, for the month of October. To be considered for the juried exhibit, artwork (photos of large pieces are acceptable) must be submitted to the Tri-County Board by September 14. Artists must submit an entry form for each piece to be considered. An artist's statement must accompany each piece describing how the piece represents wellness, mental health or addiction recovery. Pieces may be representational or metaphorical, and do not need to be biographical in nature. All pieces selected for the Gallery Exhibit must be made available for display from October 5 through October 30.

“We are very excited that we are able to partner with Edison Community College for the October gallery exhibit,” said Brad Reed, Director of Community Resource Development for the Tri-County Board. “In past years we’ve had the showcase just for the one night in conjunction with the Board’s annual meeting. We have had some really beautiful and thought-provoking pieces and it seemed unfortunate that we were able to display them for just a few hours. [Edison Associate Professor of Fine Art] Greg Clem was kind enough to fit us into the schedule of gallery exhibits around our traditional October showcase date.”

Reed said that artworks submitted for the gallery exhibit will be juried and selected works will be on display for the month. Some of the pieces, with the artists’ permission, may be sent to smaller traveling exhibits at locations throughout Darke, Miami and Shelby counties for several months. “It’s a great way to share the amazing artwork to a broader audience, and to promote the message of recovery and overcoming challenges of mental illness and addiction.”

For consideration for the juried gallery exhibit, artwork and an accompanying submission form must be received by the Tri-County Board no later than September 14. The form and additional details are available at the Tri-County Board’s website, tcbmds.org/art.

To be displayed in the open Showcase Wednesday, October 21, artwork and submission forms must be received by October 12.

Art may be in any medium, including but not limited to painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, needlework, crafts, instrumental music, poetry and mixed media. Artists may submit more than one piece for submission, and may elect to remain anonymous at the showcase. There is no fee to enter, and no prizes are awarded. For the gallery exhibit, three ribbons will be awarded. Best in Show will be determined by the judges, People’s Choice will be awarded based on popular vote, and the Director’s Award will be selected by Tri-County Board staff for the piece that best exemplifies wellness and recovery.

The Art of Recovery showcase aims to increase public awareness of mental illness and addiction issues in an effort to fight the stigma that so often accompanies these diseases.

The Showcase and reception will be open to the public Wednesday, October 21 from 5:30 – 7:00PM in the Art Gallery and adjacent lounge at Edison Community College in Piqua. A brief award presentation will also take place.

For more information, visit the Tri-County Board’s website or contact Reed at ReedB@tcbmds.org or 937-335-7727 ext 209.

Are you ready for some fun, good food, door prizes, and fantastic auction items – all to help a worthy cause?

The Mission of The Recovery and Wellness Centers of Midwest Ohio is simple – TO SAVE LIVES !!!   RWC serves the communities in Miami, Darke and Preble Counties with quality PREVENTION, EDUCATION and INTERVENTION Services for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery.  RWC has a strong focus on CHILDREN and YOUTH.  The philosophy of “It is Better to Build a Healthy Child NOW than to try to ‘fix’ an Adult Later” serves as a guidestone.  R&WC is committed to insuring access and delivery of much needed services in the school setting, the local incarceration facilities, area Emergency Departments, in our local Mental Health and Recovery Centers as well as the community at large.  RWC offers a full range of services at their various locations, which include: Mental Health Counseling; Community Psychiatric Support Treatment; Outpatient Psychiatric Services; Hotline and Mobile Crisis Services; Specialized Services for “At Risk” Youth; programming for Youth on topics such as “Bullying”, “Substance Abuse Issues” and “Self-Esteem”; Parenting Skills; and a Full Range of Counseling / Intervention Services for those struggling with addictions (drugs, alcohol, gambling…); as well as supportive intervention for their loved ones.

While the need for these services seems ever increasing, the funding for such services seems to be ever decreasing.   Medicaid has not raised their reimbursement rates for these services in OVER 15 YEARS!!!  Thus, the RWC is preparing for their first ever Charity Dinner and Auction Event !!!  They are counting on local friends and neighbors to help make the event a success. 

The Dinner / Auction will be held on Friday July 24, 2015 at the St. Boniface Parish Hall, 310 South Downing, Piqua, Ohio from 5:30p 10:00PM.  Doors open at 5:30pm.  Dinner will be served from 6:00-7:00 with musical entertainment by the band “FABLES”!  Live and Silent Auction begins at 7:00pm.

Advanced tickets may be purchased at any of the RWC Locations for only $15 (or $20 at the door) which includes your dinner and delicious desserts!

There is truly “something for everyone” in the Auction!  Donations are still coming in, but items include:

MANY Gift Cards from area Restaurants and Retail businesses; a brand new I PAD;  FOUR Disney Hopper Tickets;  Massage and Beauty Certificates; AUTOGRAPHED photos from the Bengals – AJ Green, Marvin Lewis, D Peko and Browns A Rubin; Autographed basketball and other items from the CLEVELAND CAVALIERS;  “Grace” from American Girl Dolls; various pieces of ARTWORK;  Several newly refinished pieces of FURNITURE, Tickets to the Illumination Christian Concert; Reds and Dragons TICKETS; Cincinnati Ballet tickets; collectibles; OSU and Michigan fan gear; beautiful QUILT, Two tickets to DOLLYWOOD; fishing gear; Two Tickets to see BUDDY GUY in Eaton and MUCH more…..

Tax Deductible DONATIONS still being accepted – contact Ruth McDaniel at email rmcdaniel@rwcohio.org 335-7166 ext 2039

At its June 24, 2015, regular meeting, the Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services heard Executive Director Mark McDaniel's updates to the Board's three-year Strategic Plan. The full plan with status annotations can be found here.