The Montgomery WeTHRIVE! team’s passion for mental health started back in 2019 with the WeTHRIVE! Community Health Assessment (CHA). The community survey that was done in conjunction with the CHA asked residents about their main concerns, and one of the top three was mental health.
City Manager Brian Riblet decided that a good first step would be to put together a mental health team. With the support of City Council, the team began the process of creating a mental health initiative for the city of Montgomery.
Members of the mental health team are pictured above. From left to right: Montgomery Police Officer Rasheed Kassem, Tracy Henao (assistant city manager), Matthew Vanderhorst (community & information services director), Connie Gaylor (clerk of council/executive assistant), and Brian Riblet (city manager).
Soon after, the city surveyed all residents as part of developing their next five-year strategic plan. They included a question asking if the city should pursue programming in area of mental health. The majority of people said yes, they wanted their city to help them learn more about mental health issues.
The COVID pandemic put a hold on some of their plans, but the team started networking and looking for ways that a city could bring mental health education to the community.
“We know we’re not clinicians,” says Connie, who heads up the city’s WeTHRIVE! efforts. “We’re not educated in this, but we can be a conduit to bring resources to the community.”
Starting the conversation with city employees
“We decided we wanted to start the mental health initiative by focusing on our staff first, because after the pandemic, we started to hear of people having some challenges,” Connie explains.
The team began looking for programs and professionals that could help the city begin to talk about mental health. The Lindner Center for HOPE turned out to be very helpful, inviting the team to attend a monthly luncheon that brings together providers, clinicians, and treatment centers.
Through the Lindner Center, they learned about TiER1 Performance, a company that offers a four-week Start the Conversation program that includes educational emails and learning sessions for interested city employees.
Connie says this program was a good first step to destigmatizing the conversation about mental health. “We started there, got some good feedback, and decided to take programming to the community in 2022.”
Bringing the mental health conversation to residents
The city hosts about five community presentations throughout the year on topics such as grief, anxiety, and depression, while continuing to offer programs for staff. In 2023, they partnered with Good Shepherd Catholic Church to bring world-renowned speaker Kevin Hines to the city. Kevin shared his powerful story of surviving a suicide attempt to an audience of about 300 people.
Earlier this year, Montgomery held its second annual Mental Health Fair, which included speakers as well as vendors representing mental health organizations, treatment centers, clinicians, and even therapy pets. WeTHRIVE! partners 1N5 and NAMI Southwest Ohio also participated.
Adding a furry friend to the city’s staff
In March, the city purchased their own therapy dog, a one-year-old standard poodle named Asha. She came to Montgomery from The Silver Collar in North Carolina. This organization, which trains therapy dogs for veterans, also donated $15,000 worth of training for Asha.
Asha’s handler is a clerk at fire department who is also a Montgomery resident. During the day, Asha stays at the city’s Safety Center with the fire and police department staff.
While first responders are always prepared to handle any emergency, the stress and strain of their demanding careers can sometimes affect their well-being. This is where Asha steps in, providing comfort and emotional support after a challenging call.
Asha has been on the job for several months and is already an expert at helping people feel at ease. She has her own care team that donates their time and services to keep Asha ready to serve. EarthWise Pet provides food, bathing, and grooming services for Asha. Supporting mental health is important to owners Dan and Lisa Woods. Dr. Katie Carullo at Cincinnati Hills Animal Clinic provides Asha’s veterinary care.
Helping residents find care
The city recently partnered with Care Solace to help residents find mental health treatment. When first responders go on mental health crisis runs, they now give out cards directing people in need to call or visit Montgomery’s Care Solace website, where a Care Companion is available 24/7 to help with finding the right provider and making that first appointment.
Residents can also call or visit the website to work with a Care Companion or to do their own search of local providers. The Care Solace program can also be used to find substance use treatment and low cost healthcare, food, and housing.
Encouraging other communities to embrace mental health
Connie acknowledges that mental health is not usually a topic that city governments take on. She points out that the staff mental health program has given employees empathy and more understanding about what their co-workers may be going through. “That can change the culture of your organization,” she says.
Connie adds, “I would just say to recognize that your staff and your community has these issues, and we are not exempt from trying to help. That’s what local government is for – to be here to serve the community. We don’t treat, but we can provide education and resources, then they can decide what to do with it.”
Last year, the team presented to the International City/County Management Association convention in Austin about how they started working in mental health. They are scheduled to speak at other state and local conferences in the future.
Montgomery clearly prioritizes mental health awareness for its employees and residents. As Connie states, “We are very passionate about this!”
The next mental health community presentation will be a Panel Discussion on Suicide that will take place on August 29.