By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
In every community, some behind-the-scenes heroes work tirelessly to mend unseen wounds, support individuals in their battle for recovery, and provide systems of care when it’s needed most.
Wood County’s mental health and recovery services agencies and some of their heroes were on the receiving end of gratitude Monday at the Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Gratitude Gala.
Leadership in Behavioral Health: Tina Bradley
Tina Bradley, who recently retired from the Wood County Educational Service Center, received the Leadership in Behavioral Health award for her role as coordinator for the Wood County Prevention Coalition since May 2021. Under her leadership, the county coalition received the Blue Ribbon Award from the Anti-Drug Coalitions of America in 2023, said Aimee Coe, WCADAMHS director of community programs.
“Thanks to Tina’s leadership, dedication, and professionalism, Wood County has received national notoriety, and the community and youth have received outstanding programming,” Coe said. She also increased membership and attendance at coalition meetings and provided “invaluable organization skills.”
Excellence in Advocacy: Rich Schmidbauer
Rich Schmidbauer was thanked for his commitment to advocating for the youth served in the Wood County Juvenile Detention Center where he is director.
He works with “kids who have so little control over what happens in their world,” said award presenter Sarah Simmons of OhioGuidestone. “We can get caught up in the chaos and the crisis and forget that behind their destruction, aggression, self-harm, or other behaviors, there’s a child who’s hurting.”
Schmidbauer, who received the Excellence in Advocacy award, builds relationships to benefit the youth at JDC. “He took a risk by making a promise to never give up, reaching out to other systems to help make the juvenile detention environment more therapeutic rather than relying on the status quo, asking youth ‘What will help you heal?’ and balancing nurturing and accountability,” Simmons said.
Because of his actions, the youths begin to believe in and recognize strengths and resilience within themselves. “They can find reasons to live when they haven’t been able to find them before, and they can start to take more risks for themselves,” she said.
Outstanding Clinician: Sarah Simmons
After presenting the advocacy award Simmons earned her own award for Outstanding Clinician. Kaylee Smith, marketing and communication manager at WCADAMHS, presented the Outstanding Clinician award to Simmons.
“Sarah has been a pillar of strength and compassion here in our county, embodying empowerment, advocacy, and person-centered care,” Smith said. “She tirelessly gives a voice to the voiceless, advocates for systematic change and ensures ethical meticulous care with gentleness and dignity.”
Recovery Trailblazer: Nicole Shurelds
For nearly five years, Nicole Shurelds has worked at Harbor’s Residential Treatment Program for women in Bowling Green. Because she has transformed the treatment provided at Devlac Hall, she was presented with the Recovery Trailblazer award.
In her work, she has focused on meeting the current community trends for drugs of choice, focusing on trauma-informed care across the program, Coe said when presenting the award. “She embodies a deep passion for helping those struggling with substance abuse, transforming countless lives.
“Her work is not just about recovery, it’s about empowering those she helps to discover their potential and reclaim their futures,” Coe added.
Shurelds credited the team she works with at Harbor for her success. “I would not be where I am without their support,” she said. Specifically, she thanked her supervisor John Fortner for guiding her with meaningful words at the right time and allowing her to self-reflect; Valerie Moyer for continual development in the years to come; and the teams from the coordinators and nurses to the providers, therapists, case managers and counselor aides.
“Without each of them dedicating their careers to selflessly serve underprivileged, neglected, disadvantaged women struggling with substance misuse and mental health conditions, it would not be possible,” Shurelds said.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Judy Ennis,
Judy Ennis has been “a beacon of positivity” as a board member and officer for the WCADAMHS Board, said Amanda Kern, executive director. “She understands that lasting change requires a united community, and her efforts have driven many positive transformations.”
For her long-term leadership on the board and in the community, Ennis received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
“I always found Judy’s opinion and input to be well considered and thoroughly thought out,” said Board Chair Frank McLaughlin. ”She consistently advocated for accountability of the tax dollars the board allocated and was especially mindful of the needs of the Wood County residents we serve.”
Smith acknowledged Ennis’s ability to bring people together. “She has transformed our community, and her belief in empowering women has inspired so many of us.”
“I have so much empathy and admiration for people who suffer with mental health issues because they get up every day and they put one foot ahead of the other. They make life as best as they can,” Ennis said.
She thanked the professionals who provide services in Wood County and noted when she moved to Wood County more than 50 years ago she was told that the citizens take care of people in the county.
“I have never seen a Wood County ADAMHS levy fail, and that speaks volumes about the type of people who live in Wood County,” she said.
Innovative Program of the Year: ESC Diversion Program
The community-based Diversion Program at the Wood County Educational Service Center has a mission to keep kids with attendance issues out of the criminal justice system “by wrapping families with support,” Kern said.
The team works with families to identify barriers, habits and social-emotional issues that might impact school attendance. The members’ focus is person-centered, and they work with each family to identify what they need.
Initially, the team figured they would serve 75 students. During the 2022-23 school year, they received 320 referrals, Kern said. “And less than 10 of those made it into the court system,” earning the team the Innovative Program of the Year award.
The successful program “opened a brand new door to find families in need and engage them into our system of care and to give us visibility for the gaps in our system,” Kern said.
Behavioral Health Impact Award: Harbor
On June 12, a fire destroyed a Bowling Green apartment complex that was an independent housing unit managed by Harbor, displacing 17 individuals.
When Kern arrived to assess the situation, “I watched the Harbor team, from their CEO to the frontline staff helping however they could, whether it was to talk to someone, help call family and friends to find where they might stay, or provide necessities over the days that followed,” she said. “Their entire team dedicated themselves to meet the needs of each of the individuals by finding new housing or replacing lost items.”
They had the tough task of helping the individuals start over, not just monetarily but emotionally also.
“Through this tragedy, Harbor brought new partners to the table and brought a community together,” Kern said.
For their efforts, the mental health services agency received the Behavioral Health Impact award.
In accepting the award, Harbor CEO Dustin Watkins said, “help first,” one of the agency’s core values, kicked into gear when the tragedy struck. “You make me proud,” he told his team.
He also thanked the community for its outpouring of support by offering clothing, household items, financial donations, and resources. “Different organizations, different stakeholders and community members all helped us meet the call,” he said.
Also during the meeting, the board recognized BGSU student Claire Sant for her assistance with the promotions and publicity for the Wood County Mental Health and Recovery Services Levy campaign, which Wood County voters soundly supported at the polls Nov. 5.
