At its regular meeting September 23, the Miami County Heroin Coalition passed a resolution to endorse the Tri-County Mental Health & Recovery levy which will be on the ballot in Shelby, Darke and Miami Counties November 8.

The Tri-County Mental Health & Recovery levy is a 0.6 mill, 5-year renewal to provide ongoing funding for counseling and supportive services to children and adults through the operation of alcohol and drug addiction programs and mental health programs. Levy funds are administered by the Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services.

The Miami County Heroin Coalition is made up of agencies, organizations, public officials, businesses, churches, and concerned citizens working together to address the impact of heroin on Miami County, Ohio. It is the Coalition's position that only by working together and maintaining open channels of communication among all affected groups can the challenges of heroin use in Miami County effectively be met. Members recognize the importance of the Tri-County Mental Health and Recovery Levy in supporting these community-based efforts.

For more information about the Miami County Heroin Coalition, contact Coalition chair J. Steven Justice at justice@dunganattorney.com.

At its regular meeting September 22, the Shelby County Drug Free Coalition passed a resolution to endorse the Tri-County Mental Health & Recovery levy which will be on the ballot in Shelby, Darke and Miami Counties November 8.

The Tri-County Mental Health & Recovery levy is a 0.6 mill, 5-year renewal to provide ongoing funding for counseling and supportive services to children and adults through the operation of alcohol and drug addiction programs and mental health programs. Levy funds are administered by the Tri-County Board of Recovery and Mental Health Services.

The Shelby County Drug Free Coalition is made up of agencies, organizations, public officials, businesses and concerned citizens working together to make Shelby County, Ohio, a safe place to live and work. The Coalition's mission is advocacy, networking and collaboration to prevent harmful alcohol and other drug use in Shelby County by focusing on preventing youth consumption.

The Coalition meets the fourth Thursday of the month at 10:30am at St. John's Lutheran Church in Sidney. Information about the Coalition, including upcoming meetings, can be found online at drugfreeshelbycounty.weebly.com.

While results are unofficial until certified by the various boards of election, all four county mental health and addiction services levies on the Ohio May ballots appear to have passed with comfortable margins.

Three of the four measures were new levies, and one was a renewal.

• Allen, Auglaize and Hardin counties passed a new 1 mill, 10-year levy with 55.4% voting yes.
• Guernsey County passed a new 1 mill, 10-year levy with 59.2% voting yes.
• Sandusky County passed a new 0.8 mill, 5-year levy with 52.8% voting yes.
• Geauga County renewed its 0.7 mill, 5-year levy with 59.5% voting yes.

The Tri-County Board serving Darke, Miami and Shelby Counties operates with a 0.6 mill, 5-year levy. It was last renewed by voters in 2011, for the 2012-2016 period. The levy generates approximately $2.3 million per year, almost one-third of the Board's annual revenue.