Governor DeWine Announces Statewide Expansion of Mobile Response and Stabilization Services

Posted by: New Americans Magazine , April 22, 2025

By Okon Ekpenyong

Monday, April 21, 2025, at the Hopewell Elementary School in Dublin, Ohio, Governor DeWine announced additional support for Ohio’s Mental Health Care Revolution, specifically the Mobile Response Stabilization Service (MRSS) expansion, a program under the Department of Mental Health.

Through its comprehensive and innovative programs, Ohio is making significant strides in mental health care. Such support is crucial for its growth and ensuring that Ohio’s children receive the necessary care within a reasonable timeframe, instilling confidence in the state’s commitment to their well-being.

For the refugees and immigrant residents, relocating abroad from their native land does not mean leaving all the problems behind; some of those emotional scars remain a part of life. Money alone, once settling down in the new place, can’t hide or get rid of the trauma that the eyes have seen or the body has experienced.

In response to inquiries regarding how MRSS engages with new American communities, a representative from MRSS indicated that the clinical responsive team collaborates with interpreters and various ethnic organizations to ensure the aid reaches everybody. This program offers 24/7 face-to-face support in multiple settings, including a young person’s home, school, local emergency department, or other community locations.

Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services (ETSS), Community Refugee and Immigration Services (CRIS), Liberian Living in Columbus, US Together Inc., Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio, and Muslim Family Services of Ohio are among the social service organizations that work with refugee and immigrant communities in Central Ohio. These organizations consistently engage with their community members to coordinate mental health events.

States like Ohio have their own Departments of Mental Health and Addiction Services, as well as the Center for Innovative Practices. The department works across the board and with various agencies across education, social services, health, and employment sectors to help community members and staff address mental illness in their own lives and within their families.

Essentially, MRSS and its community partners, like the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Response Team, meet individuals where they are, providing crucial and immediate assistance. This initiative is vital as it ensures that individuals receive immediate support from clinically trained staff equipped to address traumatic emergencies directly, instilling a sense of security and protection in the audience.

A portion of the announcement today revealed the 12 providers, categorized by region, that are providing MRSS services. For instance, Nationwide Children’s Hospital covers Region 2, which encompasses all of Franklin County, while Butler Behavioral Health operates in Regions 1 and 15, which include Hamilton County and Butler, Clinton, and Warren Counties. Coleman Health Services, for example, provides coverage across several counties.

Fifty out of Ohio’s 88 counties, including Franklin County, have the MRSS Program. Plans are in place to expand services to all counties to support individuals aged twenty and under. One of DeWine’s proposed executive budgets has provisions to increase support for individuals over 21.

The Department of Medicare will cover services for all Medicare enrollees, while the Department of Mental Health Services will cover costs for individuals not enrolled in Medicare. Ohio Rise is coordinating these resources through the MRSS managed care plan to streamline the process for service providers. Governor DeWine has introduced budget plans to fully fund MRSS programs, a Representative from MRSS said.

Individuals or families can reach out to the 988 hotline, a dedicated mental health crisis line. A local mental health expert will then assess the situation’s urgency, and a team will arrive within an hour. However, in critical, life-or-death scenarios, the dispatcher will send a unit, and a healthcare specialist will be available to intervene when it is safe for them to do so. The service is free for families.

Much of the public feedback has been favorable, with several families noting that when MRSS arrives, the person requiring assistance feels more at ease and doesn’t have to worry about going to the doctor’s office or interacting with the police.

DeWine states that each city, county, and law enforcement agency is working to determine how to tackle this mental health crisis involving calls, and no one is more motivated to find a solution than law enforcement. Records indicate that during police responses, some calls, whether related to mental health issues or domestic violence, do not always conclude positively. Law enforcement agencies are increasingly recognizing the need for specialized mental health crisis response teams and are working to improve their training and protocols for handling such situations.

“These crises are often defined by the family or by the individual seeking help, whether it is suicidal thoughts or depression or anxiety concerns,” a Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services rep says.

The OhioRISE program, the State’s Medicaid program, is making a significant impact, cutting emergency department visits by 41% and lowering time away from families by 28%. By offering crisis services without overwhelming medical costs, Ohio is setting a standard in delivering high-quality, accessible care. The MRSS is making an impact, with clinicians reaching families and students in crisis within 60 minutes, instilling hope and optimism in the audience about the future of mental health care in Ohio.

OhioRISE stands for Resilience through Integrated Systems and Excellence. It’s a specialized managed care initiative designed for youth facing complex behavioral health challenges and multiple system needs, aiming to transform the care system and keep families intact.

The OhioRISE program offers a comprehensive range of services, including:

– Care Coordination: Intensive and moderate care coordination

– Intensive Home-Based Treatment (IHBT): Time-sensitive behavioral health services