Rep. Sykes Hosts “Call With Your Congresswoman” To Discuss Improving Access To Mental Healthcare Services
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) hosted “Call With Your Congresswoman” to discuss her work to improve access to quality, affordable mental healthcare services throughout Ohio’s 13th Congressional District. Rep. Sykes was joined by special guests Aimee Wade, Executive Director of the Summit County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health (ADM) Services Board, and Michele Boone, Director of Clinical Services of Stark County Mental Health & Addiction Recovery (StarkMHAR), who both provided an overview of existing mental health and substance abuse disorder services in Summit and Stark Counties.
“Too many people in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District struggle to access quality mental healthcare. I was glad to host yesterday’s Call With Our Congresswoman discussion to connect constituents to mental health resources available in Summit and Stark Counties, as well as discuss my bipartisan Mental Health Improvement Act, which would provide critical funding to bolster the number of behavioral health providers in our communities,” said Rep. Sykes. “I’ll keep working across the aisle to improve access to mental healthcare, combat the opioid epidemic, and deliver real results for the people of Ohio’s 13th District.”
Rep. Sykes’ bipartisan Mental Health Improvement Act successfully passed the House in December 2023 and now awaits consideration from the Senate.
"The County of Summit ADM is proud to support a full continuum of care for those impacted by mental illness and substance use disorder with somewhere to call, someone to respond, and somewhere to go in times of need. The collaboration in Summit County to provide local behavioral crisis lines and 24/7 crisis services is a testament to the collective commitment to wellbeing in this community,“ said Aimee Wade, Executive Director Summit County ADM Services Board.
“As we often say, mental health is health. Conversations like this are important because they can help decrease stigma and encourage people to think of their mental health more like their physical health. There’s no shame in getting help for what you need – whether that be for diabetes, heart disease, depression, or substance use," said Michele Boone, Director of Clinical Services at StarkMHAR.
Listen to the full telephone town hall HERE.
To learn more about mental health services available in Stark and Summit Counties, visit starkmhar.org or admboard.org.