By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Wood County has provided mental health programs, trainings, and community education and outreach based at its Bowling Green office at 541 E. Wooster St. for the past 10 years. In August, the organization will move several blocks away to 1250 Ridgewood Drive.
The new location will house NAMI’s six full-time staff plus two to four interns and be more conducive to the range of programming they provide throughout the year, said Director Jessica Schmitt-Hartman.
“We’ve kind of outgrown this space and look forward to be able to host our trainings, presentations and support groups in our own environment,” she said.
According to Courtney Rice, manager of community education and marketing, the demand for programs such as Mental Health First Aid, Crisis Intervention Team and other community education presentations has increased, especially since the start of the pandemic in 2020.
“People wanted more of our trainings even as early as fall 2019. There has been a lot of interest by community members and partners for their staff, their organizations and for them personally,” Rice said. “By the summer of 2020, as things were shutting down and the isolation enhanced some people’s feelings of anxiety, people were struggling more, and we were getting more requests for those trainings and presentations.”
The Ridgewood Drive facility, which includes an entire building and its own parking lot, will allow NAMI staff to host programs on site, saving time and money. “It’s difficult when we host at other sites when we have to pack everything up. This will be easier to navigate, and we also will save on rental fees,” Schmitt-Hartman said.
“It will also be easier for the organizations coming for training, because they can just walk in and take the training. They don’t have to worry about all the details of having the training at their sites,” Rice added.
Moving Sale: Out with the old and in with the new
In preparation for the move, NAMI will host a two-day Moving Sale on Tuesday, July 19, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday, July 22, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the first floor of their current location. Desks, bookshelves, a mini refrigerator, NAMI T-shirts, and many gently used items will be available for the cash-only sale. All items must be taken when purchased; NAMI will not hold items. Proceeds from the sale will go toward new furniture and amenities for the new facility.
Artwork created by community members will also be available for purchase during the sale. Proceeds from the artwork will go to the local artists who created the artwork.
“We are fortunate to have received CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) funds from the Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services and the State Opioid Response dollars as part of a stigma reduction group that will help us purchase some of the new tables and chairs,” Schmitt-Hartman said.
The sale funds will help make the space “trauma informed,” to establish a calm and relaxed atmosphere when people come into the facility.
“When walking into any mental health facility for treatment or any of the services we offer, it can be scary. Making the space trauma informed with warm colors, maybe a water feature in the reception area and even the way the furniture is set up helps to make people feel welcome,” Rice said.
The Ridgewood Drive location is NAMI’s fourth location since it established an office in Wood County. The first location was in the former Huntington Bank Building from 2007 through 2010. The organization moved to 500 Lehman Avenue for two years before moving to the current location, which was built in 1926 as the Wood County Youth Detention Home.
New space leads to more opportunities
Rice and Schmitt-Hartman are most excited that the new space will allow NAMI to offer more opportunities for community education. “We have provided mental health presentations to Girl Scout groups, librarians, nursing staff and others.”
If anyone or any organizations would like information on mental health topics, they can find more information and register for programming on the website at www.namiwodocounty.org, follow NAMI on social media @NAMIWoodCounty, email them at info@namiwoodcounty.org or call 419-352-0626.
