The Commissioners of Darke, Miami and Shelby Counties and the Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services have adopted resolutions to recognize Mental Health Awareness Month in May, Read the full text of the Board's resolution here...

The theme of Mental Health Awareness Month 2023 as established by Mental Health America is "Look Around, Look Within," emphasizing the importance of our environment to mental health, and reminding us to be mindful of how our surroundings are affecting our mood.

In addition to numerous health and information fairs in May and continuing throughout the summer, the Tri-County Board has partnered with Miami County Court of Common Pleas Judge Stacy Wall to set up a display at the Miami County Safety Building to recognize the Mental Health Court specialty docket.

Tri-County Board staff are also delivering packets of mental health-related books to public libraries in all three counties, and are delivering packets of pens and information to restaurants with table service wait staffs. "Food service and hospitality work can be stressful, and servers may encounter persons struggling with mental health or substance use concerns, so we wanted to support them in some way," said Brad Reed, Tri-County Board Director of Community Engagement, "and servers always need pens!"

The pens feature the Tri-County Crisis Hotline number 800-351-7347, and the national Crisis Text Line 741741. The packets also include cards with the Hotline and Text Line numbers plus the web address for a comprehensive directory of local resources, The pens, cards and the pouches they are packaged in were paid for with grant funds from the Ohio Association of County Behavioral Health Authorities to promote the use of the Crisis Text Line.

​Twenty three law enforcement officers from Miami, Darke and Shelby Counties attended the Tri-County Crisis Intervention Team Academy for Law Enforcement Professionals April 24-27 2023.

During the four-day training, officers hear from a variety of professionals who work with persons with mental illness, substance use disorders and other special populations. Officers learn techniques for safely engaging with special populations and learn about resources available in the community with the goal of getting people the help they need and prevent unnecessary incarceration or other legal matters,

The December 2023 Academy is the 22nd class in 18 years of the Tri-County Board's program. The training is held at the Tri-County Administration & Training Center at 1280 N. County Road 25A, Troy. More than 395 officers have completed the Tri-County CIT Academy, with more than 250 still active on local law enforcement rosters.

The officers attending the training were Michaela Clark and Steve Kreitzer, Darke County Sheriff's Office;  Jackie Barton and Matthew Ganiron, Greenville Police Department; Trent Cooper, Micah Karn, Ryan Lavy, and Tabitha Thompson, Miami County Sheriff's Office; Kyle Ingle and Madeline Ruetenik, Piqua Police Department; John Marshall and Brian O'Neal, Troy Police Department; Ben Davis, West Milton Police Department; Tyler Bowman, Brad Boyd, Austin Knight, Bryce Kohler, Madison Pierce, Josie Raterman, Rod Robbins, Seth Sargent, and Branden Schutte, Shelby County Sheriff's Office; and Kiarra Ibarra, Sidney Police Department. Officers in the April 2023 Academy class ranged in experience from less than 1 year to more than 30 years in law enforcement.

The Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services will close its office on Wayne Street in Troy Friday afternoon to begin the transition to its new facility at 1280 N. County Road 25A, Troy. The office is scheduled to reopen Wednesday November 23 at the new location. Email and phone services will be unavailable during the move.

Persons in urgent need of care should continue to call the 24/7 Tri-County Crisis Hotline at 800-351-7347. The Hotline will not be affected by the move closure.

Also moving are Community Housing of Darke, Miami and Shelby Counties; Miami County Family & Children First Council; and NAMI Darke, Miami and Shelby Counties. Phone numbers for the Board and the agencies will remain the same at the new location.

​Offices will be closed for business Friday afternoon November 18 and through Tuesday November 22. The Board plans to reopen for business Wednesday November 23 before closing for the Thanksgiving holiday November 24 and 25. ​Regular business hours are Monday through Friday 8AM to 4:30PM.

When 16-year-old Bryce Warner took his own life in August 2015, just days before the start of classes at Milton-Union High School, his family and friends were devastated. But with resolve and a sense of purpose, they rallied together to raise awareness of mental health and suicide prevention.

Because Bryce had been a cross country and track athlete, the Free the Mind/Anchor the Soul (FMAS) 5K walk and run was inaugurated July 4, 2016, to raise funds and awareness, and has been held annually ever since.

The July 4 5K walk/run, now in its seventh year, directs proceeds to mental health and suicide prevention education, and to Bryce Warner Scholarship Fund. Registration is $30 on race day. Participants who pre-register by June 23 will receive a $3 discount plus a commemorative T-shirt. Teams of 7 or more can also get a discount.

Cash prizes are awarded for top finishers and in a number of age categories. For complete details and to register, go to freethemindanchorthesoul.com.

Since the start of the 5K, proceeds and donations have been used to fund Youth Mental Health First Aid classes, billboards promoting a Crisis Text Line (741741), nationally-known speaker Ross Szabo talking about mental health, and support for Hope Squad – a youth-led suicide prevention program – in Miami County schools, as well as numerous scholarships for local students going to college.

NAMI Darke, Miami and Shelby Counties has joined forces with FMAS to promote mental health awareness. NAMI is a grassroots organization that helps families and individuals living with mental illness through advocacy and education. For more information about the local NAMI chapter, go to NAMIofDMS.org.

NAMI and the Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services will have information and resources at tables at the event, as well as in the registration packets.

The Tri-County Board of Recovery & Mental Health Services will accept public comments regarding the Board’s Calendar Year 2023 Budget between 4:00 pm and 4:30 pm on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 at the Board office, 1100 Wayne St., Suite 4000 in Troy. For further information or to request a copy of the Tri-County Board’s Calendar Year 2023 Budget, please contact the Tri-County Board at (937) 335-7727, extension 204.

A series of signs along the "Jim Buchy Mile" walking and biking trail in Greenville encourages the practice of mindfulness techniques while enjoying the natural surroundings. The signs are a cooperative project between the Darke County Park District, the Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services and NAMI Darke, Miami and Shelby Counties. The signs were provided at no cost to the Park District.

The five signs are located on a short section of the trail. The southwest end of the section is accessed behind the Main-Rite Sandwich Shop at 125 N. Broadway, Greenville, and the northeast end is just past the bend in Wilson Drive near the Greenville Creek.

Users of the navigation app What3Words can find the southwest sign at each.others.noisy and the northeast sign at dusty.indeed.hangs.

The link between natural spaces and mental wellness has long been established, During the pandemic there has been a general concern for mental health and self-care, especially with mindfulness and anti-anxiety techniques. Walking in the parks is something that can be done safely even during a pandemic, and it goes a long way toward promoting both physical health and mental health. Tri-County Board Director of Community Resource Development Brad Reed and Mandy Martin, a Tri-County Board member and naturalist with the Darke County Park District,  went through several revisions before landing on the “environMENTAL HEALTH” concept. They decided just to do five basic concepts in a simple form that introduces people to the idea of mindfulness and being aware of their surroundings. They also brought NAMI Darke, Miami, and Shelby Counties in as a partner. NAMI is a grassroots organization helping families and individuals with advocacy and education about mental illness.

Each of the five signs is different as to which concept is being highlighted, but they have some common information as well. This text appears on each of the signs: “MINDFULNESS is the practice of being present in the HERE and NOW, rather than worrying about the past or being anxious about the future. EXPERIENCING NATURE with mindful curiosity promotes good mental health, renews mind and body, and contributes to resilience in the face of challenges.” The signs have a QR code linking to the Tri-County Board website for more information about self-care and resilience, www.tcbmds.org/resilience.

Reed said the Board is finalizing versions of the signs to be placed in Miami County parks, and have had discussions with Sidney City as well. "The Tri-County Board serves Darke, Miami and Shelby Counties, so we’d like to have the same presence in all three counties," Reed said. "We are excited to partner with organizations in our communities to promote mental wellness and resilience. The parks are a great place to relax, unwind and reset our perspectives, so that’s a natural partnership that I hope will continue."

​Seventeen officers from Miami, Darke and Shelby Counties completed the Tri-County Crisis Intervention Team Academy April 11-14 2022.

During the four-day training, officers hear from a variety of professionals who work with persons with mental illness, substance use disorders and other special populations. Officers learn techniques for safely engaging with special populations and learn about resources available in the community with the goal of getting people the help they need and prevent unnecessary incarceration or other legal matters,

The April 2022 Academy is the 20th class in 17 years of the Tri-County Board's program. More than 345 officers have completed the Tri-County CIT Academy, with more than 240 still active on local law enforcement rosters.

The officers completing the training are Rick Genovesi and Amber Richardson, Probation Officers with Darke County Adult Probation; Chief Bruce Jamison and Brooke Dunlevy, Edison State Community College Police and Public Safety; Officers Benjamin Conley and James Santo, Greenville Police Department; Officer Rick Beasley, Piqua Police Department; Sergeant Joel Howell and Deputies Frank Bleigh, Bryan Doak, Dave Egbert, and Justin Tidwell, Shelby County Sheriff's Office; Captain Jeff Kunkleman and Officers Jason Lay, Tracy Long, and Brian Ross, Troy Police Department; and Officer Nathan Nolte, Versailles Police Department. Officers in the April 2022 Academy class ranged in experience from 3 months to 35 years in law enforcement.

For more information about the CIT Academy, see www.tcbmds.org/cit-academy.

Thirteen officers from Miami, Darke and Shelby Counties completed the Tri-County Crisis Intervention Team Academy December 6-9 2021.

During the four-day training, officers hear from a variety of professionals who work with persons with mental illness, substance use disorders and other special populations. Officers learn techniques for safely engaging with special populations and learn about resources available in the community with the goal of getting people the help they need and prevent unnecessary incarceration or other legal matters,

The December 2021 Academy is the 19th class in 16 years of the Tri-County Board's program. More than 330 officers have completed the Tri-County CIT Academy, with more than 225 still active on local law enforcement rosters.

The officers completing the training are Brandon Johnson, Cameron Keiser and Morgan Styles, Fort Loramie Police Department; Angie Spitler, Piqua Post Ohio State Highway Patrol; James Hunt, Tipp City Police Department; Ragan Williams, Edison State Community College Police Department; Jesse Penwell, Miami County Park District; Adam Coe and Logan Welbaum, Piqua Police Department; Sam Conley and Trevor Robbins, Greenville Police Department; Ryan Ormberg, Troy Police Department; and Cody Stemley, West Milton Police Department.

For more information about the CIT Academy, see www.tcbmds.org/cit-academy.