FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2005

Contact: Christine Mulvin
513-458-6621

The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati awarded a $191,800 grant to Mental Health Recovery Center of Clinton County (MHRCCC) to provide mental health care for individuals with major depression in a rural primary care facility.

According to the 2001 Community Health Assessment by the Coalition for a Healthier Clinton County, 21% of Clinton County residents experienced periods of depression during the previous two years. Recently, the county's Family Health Center conducted a small study in which new patients were screened and evaluated for depression. Of 55 new patients, 31% had symptoms of major depression.

MHRCCC plans to locate a mental health professional in Wilmington at the Family Health Center of CMH Regional Health System. The therapist and the primary care doctors will use a team approach in the treatment of major depression. MHRCCC and the Family Health Center expect to treat 290 patients with major depression over the three-year grant period.

"This project will increase access to mental health treatment for those in a rural area with limited options for care," said Janice Bogner, Program Officer of the Health Foundation. "Major depression is a serious health problem for many people, and the majority do not seek treatment. This problem is compounded in rural areas because of the social stigma."

"Many rural patients seek mental health treatment in primary care settings, which they already know and trust, rather than in community mental health centers," said Phyllis Mitchell, Executive Director of MHRCCC. "We will bring a therapist to the health center, where clients are more comfortable and are more willing to get the help that they need."

For more information about mental health care in Clinton County, call Phyllis Mitchell at 937-383-4441.


The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati is an independent foundation dedicated to improving community health and access to health care for vulnerable populations. The Foundation awards grants to non-profit and governmental organizations for selected health programs and activities in Cincinnati and 20 surrounding counties in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. In 2004, the Health Foundation invested approximately $10.5 million to support local health care programs that address the objectives of the Foundation's four focus areas and general community health.