In his State of the State speech, Governor Mike DeWine said he will have a team of cabinet members dedicated to dealing with public health including opioid abuse, mental health services and the health of families. That idea is getting good reviews right now.
DeWine’s OhioSTART program would provide what are called wraparound services - meeting multiple physical, mental and behavioral health needs of patients and families affected by drug abuse. Denise Robinson with the Columbus based treatment organization, Alvis House, is thrilled to hear it.
“That’s how you complete a person. That’s how you get a person well. You can’t just do a part of a service. You’ve got to do the whole thing," Robinson said.
However Robinson says she knows the services will be expensive. DeWine started the program when he was serving as attorney general, and the current A.G., Dave Yost, says his office will continue part of it. DeWine is expected to lay out specific funding plans in his budget next week.
