The Franklin County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday morning to approve a resolution continuing a youth mental health initiative.
Since 2016, the board contracted with Nationwide Children’s Hospital to bring mental health and suicide prevention services to public schools. This will be the initiative’s fourth year.
"Franklin County census data indicates that approximately 75,000 children are struggling with mental illness here in Central Ohio,” says commissioner John O’Grady. “We think it's an important issue for us."
O’Grady says the initiative aims to bring mental health care to schools that might not otherwise be able to afford it.
“Your zip code shouldn’t determine whether or not you have the proper care, the proper resources,” he says.
There has yet to be research on the efficacy of the program, though O’Grady says Nationwide is compiling data. Franklin County's contract with Nationwide Children's would cost $450,000.
Updated: March 19, 11:03 a.m.
