Ohio to Expand Mental Health Support Services for Youth
Ohio is making a major move to support the mental health of its young people. Governor Mike DeWine announced that the state’s Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) program will soon be available in all 88 counties. The initiative, which currently operates in more than 50 counties, helps children, teens, and young adults (up to age 20) who are experiencing mental, emotional, or behavioral crises.
MRSS teams are made up of trained professionals, including social workers and peer support specialists, who respond directly to youth in need. These teams are deployed within 60 minutes of a call to 988, the national mental health crisis line, and the service is completely free for families.
Governor DeWine emphasized the importance of early intervention, calling MRSS “another way our state is investing in the mental health and well-being of our children.” He added, “We’re making sure we’re giving every young Ohioan the opportunity to reach their full God-given potential.”
The program isn’t just about crisis intervention, it’s about equipping families with tools to move forward. Ohio’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Director LeeAnne Cornyn explained that MRSS teams work directly with families to model de-escalation techniques and build a holistic safety plan, ensuring that everyone involved knows what to do, when to do it, and who to turn to for support.
A real-life example of MRSS in action took place earlier this year at Hopewell Elementary School in Dublin. When a student experienced a behavioral crisis, a teacher called 988, and a response team arrived quickly. Since then, the student has made incredible progress. “They are learning, growing, and fully engaged in the classroom each day,” said Principal Susann Wittig, adding that the student’s family has also seen significant improvements.
By July 1, Ohio will be divided into 18 regions to guarantee MRSS teams can reach any child in the state within an hour. According to Cornyn, determining whether something is a crisis is left to the young person and those with them at the time; there’s no threshold that has to be met to ask for help.
“We have truly set the bar very high,” Cornyn said. “But that is because our children deserve it.”
With this expansion, Ohio is ensuring that every young person, no matter where they live, has access to immediate, compassionate mental health support when they need it most.
