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Local News

Friday, March 14, 2008

Mental health agency to build housing

Newspaper In Education - The Courier
By MICHELLE REITER

STAFF WRITER

A $1.2 million project to build housing on Findlay's East Melrose Avenue for adults with mental illness and substance abuse problems is slated to begin this year.

It's a project the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services board has been planning for about two years.

The apartment complex will house people, many of whom are already living in the community, who suffer from mental illnesses. Precia Stuby, director of the mental health services board, said mental illnesses are often linked with substance abuse.

These people often have trouble finding housing, she said, and some are homeless.

The apartment complex, which will be constructed on a lot where North Blanchard Street dead-ends at East Melrose Avenue, will provide 15 efficiency apartments for residents and a one-bedroom apartment for the live-in property manager.

Residents will live in the building with the full support of Century Health and other community services, and all are to be employed, Stuby said.

While the plan for the apartment complex has been established, funding the project will be a challenge, Stuby said.

The mental health services board has already spent $36,000 from board reserves to buy the land, Stuby said Thursday, and received a $5,851 donation back from the company that sold the property, KVA & Associates.

The board received $679,000 from the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation that must be paid back, and a $400,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Mental Health.

Stuby said she doesn't yet know exactly how much the project will cost.

"The $1.2 million figure is based on what I think I can raise," Stuby said.

Stuby said she wants no mortgages and is seeking all the grants she can to help pay for the building.

Stuby sought financial help Thursday from the Hancock County Revolving Loan Fund Committee, in order to install 750 feet of sewer line to the property.

The revolving loan fund is money that can be loaned to businesses for projects or expansion. If the money is paid back, it can be loaned to other businesses. Grants can also be made from the fund.

Stuby asked the committee for a grant for the sewer extension, but the committee approved a $75,000 loan, interest-free, for two years.

In two years, the committee said, the mental health services board could come back and renegotiate the loan, if it's still needed, or ask for it to be turned into a grant.

The Revolving Loan Fund Committee normally awards grants to projects that create jobs, and the housing project will only create one: a full-time property manager.

Also, committee member and County Commissioner Ed Ingold said grants are made sparingly because grant money depletes the fund without any ready way to replenish it.

But Stuby said the project will add to stable employment in Findlay.

"The most critical thing in anyone's recovery is housing," Stuby said. "If you don't have a place to sleep at night, you don't go to work and you don't make a stable employee.

"We're talking about 15 residents who will be employed in this community."

Stuby hopes to accept bids on the project in April, and have residents moved in by early 2009.

Contact Staff Writer Michelle Reiter at:

(419) 427-8497

Send an e-mail to Michelle Reiter
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1 Comment

SHERIN wrote:
MENTALHEALTH
“ The most severe problem in India is the addiction. It may with drug or drink mith etc...This is very painful situation. Overcome from this is very difficult. So you must try to avoid this situation.
sherin
[url="http://www.addictionrecovery.net/ohio"]Addiction Recovery Ohio[/url] ”
Monday, July 21, 2008 8:08:18 AM
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Homebuilders
News Briefs Annual book sale at Findlay library
The Friends of the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library will hold their annual book sale on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday in the lower level at the library.

The sale will begin with a preview sale for Friends of the Library members from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday. Memberships may be purchased the evening of the preview.

On Friday and Saturday the sale will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will be open to the public.

Book categories include mysteries, romance, general fiction, nonfiction, large print and encyclopedias.

The sale will also feature a silent auction for selected items. Special books, some from local merchants, will be sold through the silent bid process.

Rain garden, rain barrel workshop
Thursday is the deadline to register for a rain garden and rain barrel workshop, to be held at 6:30 p.m. March 25 at the Hancock County Agricultural Service Center meeting room.

The free workshop will cover design principles and planning for rain gardens and rain barrels.

The workshop is being presented by Hancock Soil and Water Conservation District, Hancock Park District, and Ohio State University Master Gardener Volunteer Program.

For more information call the conservation district at 419-422-6569 or visit www.hancockswcd.com.