Mental Health Association of Southwest Ohio, Inc.

2400 Reading Road, Suite 410
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-721-2910

(formerly known as Mental Health Association of the Cincinnati Area, Inc.)

Project Title
A Community Response to the Medicare Modernization Act
Grant Description
To educate the professional and consumer communities about the changes in prescription drug coverage
Focus Area
Severe Mental Illness
Region Served
Hamilton County, OH
Award Amount
$11,000
Year Awarded
2005
Grant Duration
4 months
Results MHA met the grant objective:
  • MHA arranged 13 educational sessions in Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana. 431 people attended these sessions.

MHA did an excellent job of quickly organizing education sessions to inform consumers and providers about the new Medicare prescription program. MHA was able to organize sessions across the Foundation’s service area. MHA continues to provide follow-up regarding changes in the program. MHA provides this follow-up via additional educational sessions, email alerts, and technical assistance for those needing help signing up for the program. MHA stays in touch with the national MHA to track the changes and new information in order to take any additional steps that may be needed.

return to top

Project Title
Community Support Group Clearinghouse
Grant Description
To fund the start-up of a Support Group Clearinghouse
Focus Area
Severe Mental Illness
Region Served
Clermont, Hamilton, and Warren Counties, OH
Award Amount
$90,000
Year Awarded
2000
Grant Duration
36 months
Results Mental Health Association (MHA):
  • hired a staff member to develop and coordinate the Support Group Clearinghouse (SGC).
  • implemented the SGC in July 2000.
  • listed the SGC on the MHA web site.
  • developed a system to create new groups as the need arose. Thirteen new support groups started during the grant period with the assistance of the SCG coordinator.
  • provided training and support to existing support groups. The SGC trained 46 support group leaders during the grant period.
  • secured ongoing funding for the SGC from the Hamilton County Community Mental Health Board.

MHA met the following objectives:

  • MHA successfully raised enough funds to meet its challenge grant. Funds came from The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, the City of Cincinnati, the Hamilton County Community Mental Health Board, the Clermont County Mental Health and Recovery Board, and the Warren County United Way.
  • MHA has publicized the SGC in newspaper articles, mailings to professional groups, mailings to the MHA mailing list, presentations at community meetings, articles in professional group newsletters, brochures at a booth on Fountain Square on Mental Health Day, listing in MHA calendars, and web site links to the SGC web site.
  • The support group listings increased from 200 to 450 over the grant period.
  • Calls to the SGC have increased 57% from 26 per month to 60. Web visits have increased 1,279% from 43 visits per month to 550.
  • The SGC coordinator held two workshops for support group leaders. Forty-six (46) leaders participated. The participants rated the workshops 4.6 on a 5.0 scale and were able to name two ways the training helped them increase their confidence as group leaders. MHA provided a training manual for each participant.
  • The SGC coordinator has consulted with 11 support groups at risk of ending to help them solve problems and continue meeting.

Some of the learnings noted:

  • Support groups are fragile, and group leaders burn out quickly. It helps to have the SGC for ongoing support and training for group leaders.
  • The response to the SGC was much greater than anticipated.
  • It was critical to find the right person for the coordinator position -- someone who is organized, responsive to others, and knowledgeable about group process.
  • The top three issues support groups struggle with are publicizing the group, handling group processes, and locating meeting space (most groups meet in the evening and many potential meeting sites do not have access after working hours).
  • The challenge grant was a good tool for fund raising for the SGC.

return to top

Project Title
Compeer Program
Grant Description
To facilitate growth of Compeer into Warren County
Focus Area
Severe Mental Illness
Region Served
Warren County, OH
Award Amount
$56,360
Year Awarded
1998
Grant Duration
24 months
Results The Compeer program matches persons living with severe mental illness with community volunteers. These volunteers help break the isolation and stigma of mental illness and help the mentally ill obtain needed services and adhere to treatment plans. The Mental Health Association of the Cincinnati Area successfully expanded its Compeer program in both Hamilton and Warren counties. The original goal aimed to increase Compeer matches by 160% over the years of 1998 and 1999. The 35 matches exceeded the goal, increasing by 218%. The program evaluation showed positive impact on consumers in the areas of improved social functioning, reduced loneliness and isolation, development of supportive relationships, and decrease in the frequency and duration of hospitalization.

Additional Findings:

The effectiveness of the program was determined by surveying 19 mental health professionals, consumers, and volunteers with questions developed by the International Association of Compeer Programs. The survey revealed:

  • 50% indicated that social functioning had improved in the consumer, 35% remained unchanged, and on one indicated decline
  • 62% indicated that feelings of loneliness and isolation had decreased, 17% indicated no change, and on one indicated decline
  • 86% were satisfied with their Compeer relationships and with Compeer as an organization, and 2% were not satisfied
  • 27% indicated a decrease in the frequency and duration of hospitalization, 37% said there was no change, and 2% indicated an increase

return to top

Project Title
Mental Health Association Expansion into Butler County
Grant Description
To establish a program in Butler County to provide mental health education, advocacy, and coordination of services
Focus Area
Severe Mental Illness
Region Served
Butler County, OH
Award Amount
$57,000
Year Awarded
2003
Grant Duration
36 months
Results The Mental Health Association of the Cincinnati Area, Inc. (MHA) established an office in Butler County in November 2003 to provide mental health education, advocacy, and coordination of services.

The project objectives are to increase public understanding and appreciation of mental health issues and services in the community, to increase professionals’ knowledge and skills, and to provide increased access to mental health programs and services.

As a result of the initiation of programming by the Mental Health Association in Butler County, a local office has been established and staffed, the staff has been trained, a Butler County Advisory Committee is being formed, educational programs are being planned, and public awareness activities are already being conducted. The project’s target audience includes mental health professionals, consumers, family members, and the general population of Butler County.

To date, we are reaching 70,000 citizens through our cable television outreach, and we plan to increase this number with the initiation of a program being taped by TV Middletown to be circulated throughout Hamilton/Fairfield, Middletown, Oxford, and West Chester. We will offer training programs to the professional staff from the 15 mental health community agencies in Butler County as well as educational programs for the community. We also connect people with Butler County services through our Support Group Clearinghouse and information and referral.

return to top