Tri-County Board, OACBHA Honor Front-Line Heroes

The Tri-County Board of Recovery & Mental Health Services marked September 20-26 as a Week of Appreciation to recognize workers on the front lines of the pandemic-related mental health and addiction crisis.

Week of Appreciation is a statewide event coordinated by the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities, which provided grants to help local behavioral health Boards honor first responders (police, fire and EMT personnel), public safety, public health, educators, hospital staff, crisis services workers, volunteers for Quick Response Teams, and others who have helped save lives and build resiliency amid the ongoing overdose and mental health crisis made worse by the coronavirus pandemic.

Tri-County Board Executive Director Terri Becker said: “So many of our frontline workers have been directly impacted, and we don’t have enough opportunities to thank them. Week of Appreciation is a chance to recognize their hard work and to just give a little bit of encouragement and thanks for all they do to keep our families safe and healthy.”

​Board staff logged more than 600 miles delivering appreciation packages to about 150 locations throughout Miami, Darke and Shelby Counties. The packages included a poster personalized for each organization, a copy of the Board’s resolution, and a red plastic bucket of mints imprinted with the message “Thank you for being lifesavers.”
The Board also purchased billboard space on I-75 between Piqua and Sidney. The billboard mirrors the poster design and says “Thank you – law enforcement, fire-EMT, public safety, public health, educators, health care, essential workers.”