The historic, decades-long move away from hospitalization for the mentally ill to community treatment has failed to live up to the needs of the mentally ill.
That’s why the proposal for a residential mental health center in South Toledo, near the Northwest Ohio Psychiatric Hospital, is so promising.
It is estimated that 350 people will cycle through the residential treatment center annually. That’s a blessing for a lot of families in this area.
Dani’s Place will serve as a transitional center for individuals leaving inpatient psychiatric care. Clients will transition from there to an adult-care facility or other type of supportive housing, and be far more likely to become stable and able to build an independent life.
The county’s Mental Health and Recovery Services Board announced the plans for Dani’s Place, at a cost of more than $10 million, on Monday. The board will select an operator to run the facility, which will be only the second of its kind in Ohio.
The facility will open in spring of 2025 if everything comes together as hoped.
Homelessness, drug abuse, random violence as seen around the country and in Greater Toledo often have their roots in poor mental health.
Mental health is so obvious a factor in the prevalence of crime that the new Lucas County jail is going to be designed to accommodate mental health treatment of inmates.
The new facility is be named in memory of Danielle “Dani” Leedy, who took her life in 2019 at age 33 after a long battle with chronic depression.
The nonprofit 33 Forever was formed by Dani’s parents, Donna and Jeff Heck, to support those with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and other mental health challenges. The family foundation contributed $133,000 toward the cost of the center, and more private funding is being sought.
Most of the money came from the American Rescue Act through federal, state, and local governments.
Hospitalization is a true need for some people.
Mrs. Heck said that, “When you are first put on medication, it often takes six weeks for it to kick in, and that is a big deal.”
Her daughter had three days’ hospitalization and was sent on her way, even though her meds wouldn’t kick in for a week.
The Hecks are from Mansfield, Ohio, and the primary focus of the new facility will be to serve people in the northwest Ohio region as a transition from a mental hospital facility. Mr. Heck, Ms. Leedy’s stepfather, noted that many individuals and families end up in a situation like Dani’s.
When people don’t have enough hospitalization time, they are 14 times more likely to commit suicide, said Terry Russell, senior adviser of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Ohio, at the announcement. As he said, way too many of those coming out of hospitalization go to a homeless shelter, or even jail.
Most of the $10.4 million has been raised, but more is needed.
First Published May 4, 2023, 4:00 a.m.
