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Local Office to introduce mental health program

Norwalk Reflector
Aug 31, 2020

Aug. 31--NORWALK -- The Huron County Veterans Service Office will be introducing a new mental health program for veterans in need.

At the office, space has been designated for a vet center that will hold at least one mental health professional a week. The service will provide veterans and their families with a mental health resource.

The days of operation are still being finalized due to COVID-19.

"We're actively looking for referrals to be made," said Matt Raymond, the director and county veterans service officer. "This part of the state of Ohio, from Sandusky south to Mansfield, there are no services. That was a big deficiency we saw in this area."

For many in Huron County, traveling to Toledo or Cleveland for mental health services isn't realistic. Mental health is one of those services that are hard to get, Raymond said, which is why they focused their efforts on getting this resource.

"We still try to overcome all the different adversity and possible ways to make things easier," he said.

During the draft period, many would serve two years and then leave the service. Now, the same service members are being deployed multiple times.

"The amount of veterans that actually serve nowadays is a lot, lot less than what it ever was," he said. "It's a smaller number of veterans, it's less than 1 percent of the whole population and Ohio has the sixth-largest veterans population in the country."

Raymond said when veterans return from multiple deployments and go home, especially in a county like Huron, they don't have the services they need or methods to cope

"The veterans that are in our communities are damaged worse, but there are fewer of them. Not everybody knows a veteran anymore," Raymond said. "Veterans have become separated from the community and the community doesn't necessarily understand how we communicate sometimes, or what the veterans' needs are. Just to bring awareness and that ability to connect back together because there's a smaller number."

The service office works to provide area veterans with care, assistance and benefits they are entitled to. The office helps provide transportation, veterans benefits and financial assistance.

A commission oversees the office with representatives from the American Legion, the Disabled American Veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, AMVETS and Marine Corps League.

The board also decides veterans who will receive financial assistance for emergent situations. The board decides who will receive assistance based on need.

"You find yourself in a bind and you're hungry. We can provide food, we will pay your bills," he said. "We don't do taxes of any sort but house payment, water, electric, gas and food vouchers to help veterans and their families to get through a time."

Funds for financial assistance comes from taxpayer dollars, Raymond said, and it's important to be transparent with what's being spent.

Raymond said the office is also a place where the public can be educated about veterans and their needs.

"We do whatever we can to meet the need and help," he said. "Everything we can do, we try to do."

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