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The Mental Health and Recovery Board of Portage County & Coleman Health Services hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony yesterday in Ravenna to celebrate the Portage Crisis Center. The center will provide a safe, appropriate setting where individuals can receive immediate support. The center is a first of its kind for Portage County. It contains a Crisis Receiving Unit for adults as well as a separate area for youth and their guardians providing a safe short-term setting for person

Fourteen Portage County first responders spent a day in May sharpening their skills in responding to mental health crisis calls. All attendees had previously completed Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training — a 40-hour program designed to equip first responders with the skills needed to safely and effectively respond to individuals experiencing behavioral health emergencies. Portage County CIT Coordinator Officer Josh Bartholomew presented on de-escalation techniques and rev

In recognition of Mental Health Month, messages of hope and support are being distributed throughout Portage County. A total of 3,000 coffee sleeves and 4,000 coasters featuring information about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline are being placed in local coffee shops, bars, and fraternal and veterans’ organizations, including American Legion, VFW, and Eagles clubs. This initiative is led by the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County, which received a grant from the

The Mental Health and Recovery Board is proud to announce the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) honors for 2025 awarded by the Portage County Chief’s Association. Officer Thomas Ondecker, Streetsboro PD was named the CIT Officer of the Year; Kayla Michael, LSW, Coleman Health Services, was named the CIT Champion of the Year; and Disp. Kristen King was named CIT Dispatcher of the Year. Over the past year, Officer Ondecker has demonstrated exceptional compassion and applied the de