We’ve covered a lot of wonderful things in Scioto County in 2023. There are hopeful signs of growth everywhere. Our area could lead the way as a center of recreation, an innovator in game development, and more. But there are serious unaddressed problems that threaten all that. While everyone agrees these problems exist, no one wants to shoulder the blame, and it seems like every official you speak with says they have no power even to begin fixing it.
Let’s break down some of the issues we’ve explored in 2023 and what needs to happen in 2024.
Repeat offenders
We’ve covered individuals who have violated probation and parole dozens of times only to be released almost immediately. Many eventually end up committing a crime serious enough to take a trip back to prison, but oftentimes that’s only for a few months.
Frequently, these individuals list their address as homeless, and some of their behavior indicates they could be mentally ill. Law enforcement points to the courts, the courts point to the state, and the state isn’t that great at answering questions. It’s not enough to say the system doesn’t work. Listen up, legislators, judges, and law enforcement – the system is you. And the system is us as citizens as well.
Ohio’s big plan to focus on community control and the least restrictive methods of supervision possible sounded like a great idea on paper. In reality, it’s a hot mess, and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections needs to reassess that policy to focus on public safety.
Children in Foster Care
Scioto County has an $8 million bill to care for kids in foster care and it is straining the county budget and overwhelming the agencies in charge of looking after kids.
Many have suggested a children’s home as a solution, but the cost to build and maintain such a facility would probably add up to more than the $8 million the county is spending now and getting any type of state or federal funding would be about impossible. The main issue is that many of the children in foster care have serious mental and emotional issues that require specialized treatment.
A quick look at the number of police reports filed from a facility like that in Lawrence County shows that the problems that run rampant in foster homes also happen in children’s homes. The issue again may be a state emphasis on an unrealistic policy. The idea that family reunification is the priority sounds great on paper. However, in reality, it leads to children spending years in foster care, many passing out of the prime ages for adoption. These children also accumulate more trauma as they are shuffled in and out of dangerous situations and become more difficult to place.
It’s time to shift the priority to the health and safety of children and society as a whole.
Rehab Realities
Does the area need fewer drug treatment facilities? More drug treatment facilities? A different kind of drug treatment facility?
Who knows? The necessary information to make that decision doesn’t seem to be available to the local government. There’s a general perception that the large number of rehab facilities in the area bring trouble as well as treatment with them. The larger item that is overlooked is Sobriety Houses. These do not fall under the city’s moratorium as they do not offer treatment. They are holding centers for people in treatment.
Troubled individuals are brought into the community, far from family support, and many say they are turned loose without any place to go, adding to the problem of homelessness and placing a strain on police, hospital, and EMS facilities.
Portsmouth City Council has requested hard data to see how many of these patients end up jail, at homeless shelters, or transported to the hospital. They’ve asked why shouldn’t this type of care be spread throughout the state so people can get treatment close to home. They deserve answers from both the rehab facilities and other agencies.
Homeless Camps
Local law enforcement has become so used to homeless camps that they don’t even seem to notice them. People living outside under overpasses or behind buildings is so common that nobody tells them to move until a citizen or a business complains.
Numerous homeless people are also living in dangerous abandoned houses and empty buildings, making them more dangerous by setting fires. These individuals also pose a public health risk by going to the bathroom in these buildings, near local businesses, and in the parks. These individuals often harass citizens for money and sometimes turn violent.
The county is in a bit of an economic boom. Actually, in much better shape than it was 20 or 30 years ago when we didn’t see activity like this. Most of these individuals are not just people who happen to be down on their luck. They tend to be people who will not comply with the rules for homeless shelter or receiving public housing and, despite what many officials insist, many of them are on probation or parole and many do seem to be runaway rehab patients if you go by the information they give police.
Why do we tolerate this public health hazard? Sources tell us that local government is afraid to crack down because they don’t want to be hit with lawsuits and the visuals of rousting these individuals might not look so good. Again, it’s time to get real and figure out who these people are. How many are people who could benefit from a hand up and how many are convicts, chronically mentally ill people, and relapsed addicts that have been abandoned by the agencies who are supposed to supervise them?
Mental Illness Crisis
Scioto County needs a local in-patient mental health facility that offers long-term care and both in-patient and out-patient treatment for the mentally ill.
Everybody seems to agree on that, but the state and federal governments. It’s time for local officials to drive that point home.
There are dozens, if hundreds, of chronically mentally ill people living on the streets. They scream, run into traffic, rip off their clothes, start fires in empty houses, and then get hauled into jail only to be immediately released.
They rack up dozens of arrests and no real treatment. Occasionally, one gets shipped off for a short stay in Athens and gets a bit better, only to come back to town and end up living behind a dumpster.
Local law enforcement responds to at least a dozen mental health situations a day, many of them involving suicidal children. So, a children’s mental health center is needed as well.
And yes, all of these problems are connected. The lack of mental health and effective addiction treatment leads to homelessness and repeat offenders, and some of that stems from kids who’ve never had a stable home. One great big crisis that needs to be attacked on several fronts.