A long-empty building in New Boston could soon be transformed into a hub for youth mental health and substance abuse services. The Scioto County Commissioners voted Thursday to transfer ownership of the former Scioto County Children Services building to the South Central Ohio Educational Service Center (SCOESC), opening the door for new programs aimed at students in need.
The building has sat vacant since 2022, when the Children Services Board was disbanded and its responsibilities folded into Scioto County Job and Family Services in Portsmouth. Commissioners said the property had become more of a liability than an asset, especially after sustaining recent flood damage.
From Empty Building to Supportive Services
SCOESC leaders plan to renovate the space into a facility offering therapeutic services, substance abuse intervention, and academic support for students referred from area schools. The idea is to create a safe, structured environment where children can continue their education while also receiving critical mental health and drug treatment services.
Commissioner Merit Smith said, “We would love to see the building be used in some way other than just sitting there. And we would love not to pay utilities on it any longer. They would like to eventually go into that building and put in an initiative that would provide mental health, therapeutic, and substance abuse intervention for children in a school setting where they would be able to be shipped in from the different schools and continue their learning while also providing mental health services and drug abuse services.”
Commissioner Scottie Powell agreed, stressing the importance of taking action: “So often we talk about the lack of mental health services for children. We’ve been talking about this for awhile. We have an entity that’s willing to figure that out and we have the space as well. SCOESC has been a great partner for the county. We’re excited to see children get some mental health services.”
The commissioners voted unanimously to approve the transfer.
Why Not Use It as a Homeless Shelter?
Some may wonder why the building isn’t being repurposed for emergency shelter space, especially given the ongoing homeless crisis in the county. Officials explained that the cost of bringing the building up to code for residential use would run into the millions—money the county does not have. By transferring ownership to SCOESC, the county avoids the burden of costly renovations and ongoing utility expenses while ensuring the property is put to use for an urgent community need: expanding youth mental health services.
