Â鶹¾«Ñ¡

Through a five-year, $625,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Portage County will partner with Â鶹¾«Ñ¡â€™s Center for Public Policy and Health in the College of Public Health to improve and support mental health in Portage County. 

The primary goals of the project are to provide mental health awareness trainings to teachers, administrators and staff in Portage County schools, create resource guides and referral mechanisms, and implement mental health stigma reduction campaigns. The project will also provide free trainings to community agencies and members annually.

Portage County schools partnering on the project include Aurora, James A. Garfield, Ravenna, Southeast, Waterloo, Crestwood, Kent City, Rootstown, Streetsboro, Windham, Bio-Med Science Academy and Maplewood Career Center. Initial community partners include Portage Community Chapel, Reed Memorial Library, the Portage Safety Council, 4-H Ohio State Extension Office and the Haven of Portage County. Coleman Professional Services, Children’s Advantage, Family and Community Services, and Townhall II will be the primary behavioral health service providers for the project.

The project is led by John Garrity, Ph.D., and Karyn Kravetz at the  and Deric Kenne, Ph.D., Professor in Kent State’s College of Public Health.

For more information on Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Trainings, visit the 

For information on Hear to Help for Portage MHAT, visit Hear to Help Our Communities.